Supply of Solar Kits to Madagascar

New clarification added: Question 105:We are unable to modify our response on the e-sourcing platform regarding our withdrawal from the bid process. However, we would be happy to provide feedback by email if that can be facilitated.Kind regards,Answer 105:We are sorry to hear that and yes please you can provide feedback at procurement@unops.org Best regards. 

New clarification added: Question 104:In the Solar Kits, there is mention of a Solar Module.  Since it is a well known fact that one should never charge batteries directly with a solar module alone, will i outprice myself from the Tender if I offer extra equipment as part of the kit which can charge the Lithium Ion batteries without damaging them or reducing their lifetime.  Or should I include in the warranty that the warranty will no longer be valid if the batteries are charged drectly by a solar panel without necessary equipment?Thanks and best RegardsAnswer 104:The kit must be certified as compliant with IEC TS 62257-9-8 and IEC TS 62257-9-5 standards, with certification issued by VeraSol. These IEC standards set requirements for safety, durability, and overall quality. We therefore expect all kits to include appropriate systems that ensure safe and long-lasting use.Best regards 

New amendment added #4: Following a request for clarification flagging a mistake on the pre bid meeting slides and minutes regarding the liquidated damages rate per each day of delay, the ITB is hereby amended to:1- Edit Pre bid meeting slides (Silde 5) and minutes to reflect the corrected rate as 0,3%:The documents Amendment 1 - Pre-bid Meeting Presentation (ITB_2025_57752)_Solar Kits and Amendment 1- Pre-Bid Meeting Minutes_ITB-2025-57752 are now uploadedBidders should note that  other amendments happened after the pre bid meeting date (22nd October 2025) are not covered in that presentation and should refer directly to the amended sections which are:Amendment 2_Section_III_Schedule of requirements_ITB-2025-57752_Solar KitsAmendment 2_Section_IV_Returnable Bidding Forms__ITB-2025-57752_Solar KitseSourcing Particulars, Documents and Checklist Tabs.2- Edit the eSourcing Particulars Tab to reduce the liquidated damages rate per each day of delay from 0,5% to 0,3%

New clarification added: Question 103:We have just received tender information for project number ITB Ref No: ITB/2025/57752. Because we need time to prepare the necessary documents and issue the letter of guarantee, could you please extend the bid closing date by two months (i.e., January 27, 2026) to facilitate a better bid submission?Answer 103:An extension to the submission deadline is currently not foreseen.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 102:In the pre-bidding meeting it was confirmed that the panelty for too late delivery would be:"0.03% (three hundredths of one percent) of the original total Contract price for each day of delay until actual deliveryor performance, up to a maximum deduction of 10%. Once the maximum is reached, UNOPS may terminate theContract pursuant to the General Conditions of Contract"Please confirm this.ThanksAnswer 102:There is a mistake on the Pre Bid meeting slides and minutes as the tender particulars tabs specifies 0,5% for each day of delay. And thanks for having flagged that.The liquidated damages rate per day is going to be amended downward to reflect 0.3% and still up to a maximum deduction of 10% in the tender particulars Tab and also be reflected in the amended Pre bid Meeting slides and minutes.Best regards. 

New clarification added: Question 101:A Bid validity is for 120 days should the Bid Guarantee equal that period?If not what should be expiry date in Bid Guarantee (should be a specific date, not an event). Please advice.Answer 101:There are expiry clauses enumerated in the bid guarantee template provided as form E and as part of the returnable bidding forms (Section IV) that the Bank should fill in and not deviate from terms and clauses:"This guarantee will expire:(a) if the bidder is the successful bidder, upon our receipt of copies of the contract signed by the bidder and the performance security issued to you upon the instruction of the bidder; or(b) if the bidder is not the successful bidder, upon the earlier of:    (i) our receipt of a copy of your notification to the bidder of the name of the successful bidder; or    (ii) twenty-eight days after the expiration of the bidder’s bidConsequently, any demand for payment under this guarantee must be received by us at the office on or before that date".Best regards

New clarification added: Question 100:Regarding the requirement for a “certified English translation,” does this refer specifically to translations issued and stamped/signed by a qualified third-party translation agency? Or would an English translation prepared by the Bidder, accompanied by a signed and stamped declaration confirming that the translation is true and accurate, also be acceptable?If a third-party certified translation is required, could you please clarify which specific documents  this requirement applies to?Kind regards,Answer 100:Certified English translation refers to document translated by a sworn translation agencyAny document that is not in English must be translated and certifiedBest regards, 

New clarification added: Question 99:After internal evaluation, we have decided not to proceed with our bid for this tender. Could you please confirm if we need to follow any steps to officially withdraw from the process?Kind regards,Answer 99:We thank you for the information.If you already submitted a bid, you have the possibility to withdraw the bid before the tender closure date.If no bid submitted, there is no official process except that we would really appreciate if could edit your expression of interest in the tender platform (eSourcing) corresponding tab and providing feedback there on the reason for not submitting a bid.Best regards, 

New clarification added: Question 97: Delivery / Shipments : Is it acceptable to deliver in two shipments a batch of 400K Kits ? Answer 97:The initial schedule (40,000 kits after 10 weeks, then 60,000 kits every 2 weeks) is a critical, pass/fail requirement that any selected bidder must be capable of meeting, regardless of the final quantity they are awarded (which could range from 400,000 to 1,000,000 kits).The 16-month timeline is the maximum total time horizon planned for the entire project, considering a total quantity of 1,240,000 kits distributed among all selected bidders. We need confirmation that your company has the capacity to adhere to the required delivery pace: 40,000 kits after 10 weeks, then 60,000 kits every 2 weeks. The final schedule will be discussed  and confirmed with the selected bidders during the contractual stage.Question 98 Delivery:Will failure to meet delivery deadlines be disqualifying? can we propose a realistic timeframe?Answer 98:Delivery schedule is a pass and fail criteria, therefore failure to meet it is disqualifying. As stated in the Section III - Schedule of requirement (Amendment 2): "The proposed quantity is critical and as such, UNOPS strongly advise Bidders to be realistic and accurate in their assessment.UNOPS emphasizes that liquidated damages and performance security will be strictly enforced. Overstating capacity could lead to significant financial penalties and severe complications if selected Bidders fail to meet the committed delivery schedule".Best regards

New clarification added: Question 96:In your answer 92, you state that "no costs should be incurred for defects covered by the warranty." Does this mean that there should be no cost for the Ministry or the end user? In other words, the cost must be borne by the bidder, and all expenses related to warranty claims are to be covered by the bidder. Could you please confirm this?Furthermore, regarding defects, you mentioned in answer 73 that the costs for the bidder must include expenses related to the collection points selected by the local representative in 22 regions. You also stated that a focal point would be sufficient to receive defective parts and ensure their repair or replacement within a maximum of 30 days. We understand that the costs must be borne by the bidder in this case as well. Could you please confirm?Best regardsAnswer 96:No costs should be incurred for defects covered by the warranty. We are expecting that the local representative would have a collection point in each of the region to collect defective kits during the warranty period. That is the only cost that needs to be borne by the bidder. For any other services, costs will be negotiated in a separate contract between the MEH and the local representative, and UNOPS will facilitate the negotiation.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 94:Is it allowed to Bid on FOB China instead of CIF Tamatave?Answer 94:Please note that the required incoterm is CPT (Carriage Paid To) Port of Tamatave (Toamasina), Madagascar. It is not allowed to Bid on FOB or any other Incoterm.Question 95:Testing should be done as per Tender specs: are all PV kits to be tested individually or can it be on a random base like one per 100?Answer 95:The quality control and conformity checks must be performed according to the procedure/methodology of the certified body (such as SGS, Veritas, or an equivalent) that you have engaged.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 92: Service connexes as form C :Do these services concern logistics (storage facility, dispatch to the regions) and the after-sales service that must be provided by the bidding supplier?Answer 92:The services concern inspection priori to delivery and the half-day training. UNOPS is in charge of the storage facility after the delivery at Tamatave and to dispartch the solar kits to the regions. No costs should incurred for defects covered by the warranty (please check warranty details in Section III -Schedule of requirements - Table C - amendement 2). There might be an after sales contract that would be signed between the Ministry of Energy and Hydrocarbons and the supplier through the local representation.  Costs would be negotiated based on the required services, and UNOPS will facilitate these discussions. Please not that the after-sales services cost should not be included as part of this tender. Question 93: Sample :At what point should we provide and present the sample, and how many?Answer 93:The awarded Bidder(s) will need to provide one sample before the contract is signed. However, if we confirm a site visit to the company, the sample will not be required. This final decision will be communicated later, once the evaluation is complete.Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 91: At this stage of the proposal, should we provide the user manual in English, or should we proceed with a translation into Malagasy now? Or can this be deferred until the contract is signed?Best regards.Answer 91:The user manual is to be submitted after contract signatureBest regards 

New clarification added: Question 90:Do both companies in the joint venture have to provide their balance sheets for the last three years? Or is one of them sufficient?Best regards,Answer 90:The audited financial statements for the last three years is required. As a joint venture, and as all joint members combined must meet this criteria, either both companies can submit their audited financial statement or only of them can submit it if that only one meets the requirements listed under financial capability.Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 89:When two different companies submit a joint venture bid, do both companies have to meet 100% of the qualification criteria as suppliers?Or can criteria not met by supplier A be met by supplier B, as long as both suppliers jointly meet the criteria, and this will be accepted?Best regardsAnswer 89:For a joint venture/consortium/association bid and regarding qualification criteria such as Bidder's experience and turnover, all  members combined must meet the requirement, meaning either only one member meet the requirement, or all members jointly meet the criteria. Best regards

New clarification added: Question 79 Lighting pointsThe cable length for each lamp has not been explicitly mentioned. To ensure compliance and proper installation planning, could you kindly confirm the minimum required cable length for each lamp included in the kit?Answer 79:There is no requirement regarding the cable length for each lamp.Question 80 CertificationRegarding the VeraSol certification, we would like to inform you that we have implemented minor changes to the product to meet the updated lumen requirements. Currently, we are actively working with the VeraSol team to complete the certification process.In light of this, we would like to inquire whether it would be acceptable to submit a derogation letter to allow for the certificate to be provided at a later stage. We believe this approach would help maintain tender timelines while ensuring compliance with certification standards.Answer 80:A derogation letter to allow for the certificate to be provided at a later stage will not be acceptable under this ITB. Also note for your information that requirement regarding lumens has been amended the 7th november. Question 81 Product labeling:Regarding the traceability requirements for the solar panels included in the system. Each panel is currently labeled with a unique barcode and serial number, which allows us to trace the manufacturer and product details effectively.Would this labeling be considered sufficient to meet the traceability criteria outlined in the tender? Alternatively, if a QR code is mandatory, could you please confirm whether it should be linked directly to the product’s serial number or to another form of traceable data?Answer 81:The QR code is mandatory for code reading tool purposes. It will notably allow for the linking of the kit to its beneficiary.Question 82 Packaging:We understand that the packaging box is expected to follow JIRAMA’s color specifications—Orange (EF8201) and Blue (2D56A7)—with final confirmation to be provided upon contract award.Could you kindly confirm if there are any specific requirements regarding the color of the product itself? Alternatively, would it be acceptable for the manufacturer to retain their standard product color, provided it aligns with the overall packaging and functional expectationsAnswer 82:The color of the product itself would be discussed at the contracting phase. There is not other requirement regarding the exact appearance / aesthetic aspects of the main product components.Question 83 Bid Evaluation:Specifically, does UNOPS consider unique value proposition such as local assembly of the kits, as part of the bid assessment process? Or is the selection primarily based on cost competitiveness?Answer 83:The evaluation methodology for this ITB is Lowest Price Substantially Compliant Offer. That methodology consists of the following steps:  - Preliminary screening of bids, including an assessment of whether bids comply with the formal and eligibility  criteria stated in the solicitation document. All bids substantially compliant at this stage will go through  subsequent evaluation as follows; - Technical evaluation of bids, determining which bids are substantially compliant to the qualification criteria  and technical criteria, and rejecting non- compliant offers. Only bids  meeting or exceeding the criteria shall be considered substantially compliant;  - Financial evaluation of bids, by selecting for award the lowest priced bid among the substantially compliant bids,  as per financial criteria stated in the solicitation document. Please see details on the evaluation methology and award in the tender system Particulars Tab.The Local Assembly of the kit is not a specific requirement for this ITB, and the fact that criteria are pass/fail, it will not be awarded additional points under the technical evaluation.Question 84:Timelines:Details regarding the tender schedule, including key milestones or expected timelines. This information will help us plan our internal processes and ensure timely submission of all required documentation and cost related considerations.Answer 84:The timelines details are provided on the tender platform e-sourcing for this ITB under the General Tab. Deadline for clarifications: 17 November 2025 at 14:00 UTC. Tender closing date: 27 November 2025 at 14:00 UTC.Question 85: Payment Terms :As we prepare our submission for the tender, we would appreciate your guidance regarding the applicable payment terms. Could you kindly confirm if there are specific conditions or schedules outlined for payments under this contract?Understanding this aspect will help us plan our financial and operational commitments more effectively.Answer 85:Payment will be made in proportion to partial deliveries as scheduled (Section III - Schedule of requirements - Amendment 2), within 30 days after receipt of the goods/services and on submission of payment documentationQuestion 86: Performance statement Form:How can we present our B2C performance in Form G? As evidence of our experience in SHS, to be beneficiaries of the [...] Programs. Is that sufficient? Answer 86: There are 2 tables in Form G. The first one should list experiences related to the Bidder. It is required that the Bidder should  be  in  continuous  business  of  manufacturing /  supplying  the  specific  or  related  products  as  specified  in  Section  III:  Schedule  of  requirements (Amendment 2),  in  the  past  five  years  prior  to  bid  opening.  Where  bidders  are  submitting  their  offers  as  a  joint  venture  all  joint  venture  members  combined must meet this requirement. The second table should list experiences related to the Local Representative: it is required that the Local Representative justify  its  professional experience  of  at  least  five  (05)  years  in  the  supply  of similar  goods  or  services  (solar  kits,  electrical equipment,  etc.),  after-sales  service  of  similar products  or  those  related  to  renewable  energies.Question 87: Form J -Key Personnel and operational equipment of the local representativeCould you kindly confirm if the langage of the supporting document exemple expert certificate or vehicule registrement documents is need to translate in english ? Answer 87:The submission of original documents in their respective language is required. However, a translation of the information is mandatory. Bidder to include the certified English translation with all other documents requested in the tenderQuestion 88: Form K - Format for Resume of Proposed Key PersonnelIs it necessary to include the CVs of the CEO and CEOO or not?Answer 88:No other resume apart from the key personnel listed in Section III - Schedule of requirements - Table D (amendment 2) is requiredBest regards

New amendment added #3: The ITB is hereby amended to:1- Edit Section III-Schedule of requirements:Table A: Luminosity and Warranty requirementsTable C: Warranty Period and Warranty ContractBidders should therefore be guided by this newly uploaded document: Amendment 2_Section_III_Schedule of requirements_ITB-2025-57752_Solar Kits2- Edit section IV - Returnable bidding forms as per the follow:Form D - Technical Bid form: Edited as per the changes in Section III - Schedule of requirement.Bidders should therefore be guided by this newly uploaded document: Amendment 2_Section_IV_Returnable Bidding Forms__ITB-2025-57752_Solar Kits

New clarification added: Question 78: Battery Capacity RequirementsTo be direct, an analysis of VERASOL’s database indicates that among 190 brands certified by VERASOL, only one model from a single manufacturer matches the requirements with a very low capacity of 9.6 Wh (3.7V x 2.6Ah = 9.6Wh). This model provides only 9.6 Wh, while being compliant with the minimum required of 16 Wh/day of Available Daily Electrical Energy (this model is rated at 25 Wh/day).All other manufacturers/brands certified by VERASOL, which meet the 16 Wh/day requirement, have batteries with at least double the energy, exceeding 20 Wh.Since the battery is the most costly component, we are concerned that there may be limited competition in this segment — only one brand out of 192 can offer such a low-capacity, high-cost component, which costs at least half of what the others do.From a user satisfaction perspective, a 9.6 Wh battery compared to a minimum of 20 Wh means roughly half the autonomy for lighting. Given the requirement of at least 800 lm for the entire lighting setup, 9.6 Wh would support barely one hour of lighting across all points (800 lm each).We believe this is likely why no other manufacturer proposes a battery of less than 20 Wh — to meet the minimum 16 Wh/day requirement.We are questioning whether it is worthwhile to proceed with a bid where only one manufacturer can supply such a low-capacity battery.Therefore, we suggest that the battery requirement be revised to specify a minimum of 20 Wh to complement the 16 Wh/day requirement, ensuring a more competitive and user-satisfactory solution.Thank you for your consideration.Best regards.Answer 78:A thorough analysis of all product permutations listed under family certifications in the VeraSol database reveals that more than ten products from various manufacturers may be eligible.Please note that according to Verasol, "The available daily electrical energy is [...] expressed as watt-hours per day (Wh/day) and describes the daily energy service available to a user from a given solar energy kit after a day of solar charging.". "The availability of the Wh/day metric for all kits provides more flexibility and opportunity to solar energy kit manufacturers, program implementers, and other stakeholders when comparing products and assessing performance. The availability of the Wh/day metric may specifically unlock many opportunities for kits in VeraSol product families such as allowing program eligibility and/or tier level of energy service within the Multi-tier Framework to be assessed. The inputs used for the Wh/day Estimator derive from rated, referenced, and calculated values drawn from VeraSol test reports. The necessary inputs for the Wh/day Estimator Tool include battery capacity, PV power, battery efficiency, solar operation efficiency, battery-charging circuit efficiency, lighting full-battery run time energy removed, and port efficiency.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 77:In the tender, there is one requirement "Before shipping the solar kits, the supplier must ensure a certified body (such as SGS, Veritas, or an equivalent) conducts a quality control and conformity check. The resulting report must be sent to UNOPS prior to shipment. Upon arrival of the kits in Madagascar, the supplier is also required to activate the warranty." To conduct this, will you appointed some certified body or we can pick up one from these?  Looking forward to receiving your answer, thank you. Best regards,Answer 77:The Supplier can pick one of the certified bodiesBest regards. 

New clarification added: Question 76:Regarding to bid security, I noticed it mentioned in the UNGM platform particulars, it is USD50000, however during the pre-bid meeting, it requests for USD100,000, pls. clarify which one is correct. Also if we bid 400000pcs or 1M pcs, whether the bid security amount will be different？Waiting for your answer, thank you very much. Best regards.Answer 76:At the time of the pre bid meeting held on 22 october, the bid security amount was 100,000 USD and mentioned in the slides and the pre bid meeting minutes. But the bid security amount has been reduced afterwards from 100,000 USD to 50,000 USD through an amendment posted on 29 october. So please take into consideration the new amended amount which is 50,000 USD.The bid security amount is the same (50,000 US) no matter the quantity you are bidding for.Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 74:Firstly, is it necessary to complete Form A (Joint Venture Partner Information Form) if the bidder is another company and the local representative is also another company? The bank guarantee must be issued by the the name of the bidder or by the name of the local representative?Answer 74:No, the requirement to have a local representative is for all Bidders either as à joint venture or as a single Bidder. Form A is only required when different companies decide to bid as a joint venture/consortium/association. Having a local representaive is not considered as a joint venture. Except if you and the Local Company decide to bid as joint venture binding yourselves to be jointly and severally liable to UNOPS for any obligations arising from the offer and the contract that may be awarded to you as a result of the solicitation process, in that case you need to fill in and sign Form A .Question 75:Secondly, another case, If two companies, X and Y, are in a joint venture, and the bid is made on behalf of company Y,Can the bank guarantee be issued in the name of company X, or must it be issued in the name of the bidding company Y?Thanks and Best regards,Answer 75:If two companies are in a joint venture, Partners are required to fill in and sign form A where they have to designate the Leading Partner. If the Leading Partner is Company X for ewxample, then Company X submit all bid documents including the Bank Guarantee (Bid security) in its name (company X). That submission is considered on behalf of the joint venture (X and Y).Therefore, the Leading Partner designated in Form A is the one to submit all documents, to sign all forms in its name except form A that all Partners should sign. The Bid security should be also in the name of the Leading Partner. Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 73:Cost Responsibilities During Warranty PeriodTo finalize the contractual terms with our exclusive local representative, we need to clarify the cost responsibilities during the warranty period.In your response to item 5, you wrote:"The warranty will only cover the repair or replacement of defective kits. An addendum will be drafted, by which the mention of 'preventive maintenance' will be removed. Under the terms of this warranty, we request that the supplier, through its local representative, identifies collection points where non-functional kits—due to defects covered by the warranty—will be sent for either repair or replacement."To clarify, during the warranty period, we will cover the costs of spare parts, repairs, or replacement of defective kits at the repair workshop of our local representative.  We will only identify collection points in at least 22 regions of Madagascar for kits that are non-functional due to covered defects.However, during the warranty period the following costs will not be covered by us, as these may potentially be subject to a separate agreement between our local representative and the Ministry of Energy and Hydrocarbons:Operating costs of the 22 collection points (staff, tools, etc.)Transportation costs for defective kits or spare parts, as well as for technicians traveling between our local representative and the collection points (including the 22 regions or more).Please confirm that this understanding is correct, as these services related to the collection points would otherwise incur additional costs outside of our current offer.Thank you for your clarification.Best regards.Answer 73:It is expected that the Local Representative will have at least one collection point for defective kits in the different regions. It is not required to open an office for this purpose, but rather to establish a focal point to receive the defective kits and ensuring their replacement or repair, as needed, within thirty days of reception. No costs should incurred for defects covered by the warranty.In addition there might be an after sales contract that will be signed between the Ministry of Energy and Hydrocarbons and the supplier through the local representation. Costs would be negotiated based on the required services, and UNOPS will facilitate these discussions.Best regards 

New amendment added #2: The ITB is hereby amended to:Extend the deadline for clarifications: 17 November 2025 at 14:00 UTCExtend the tender closure deadline: 27 November 2025 at 14:00 UTC

New clarification added: Question 72:Nous souhaiterions savoir au nom de qui le chèque de garantie de soumission doit être établi.Merci d’avance pour votre réponse.Cordialement,Answer 72:Question translation: We would like to know at which name the bid security check should be established.Thanks in advance for your answer. Best regards.We would to recall first that the bid language is english.Secondly, please note that Bank Check is not acceptable. The Bid guarantee should be in the form of Bank Guarantee following the template provided in Fom E - Bid security Form.The Bank Guarantee should be issued to UNOPS with the Following address: UNOPS, Immeuble ARASA 3ème étage, Alarobia, Antananarivo, Madagascar.We also recall that the Scan of the Bank Guarantee should be submitted through eSourcing (tender platform) as part of your bid, and the original version sent to the above address within 10 days of the tender closure deadline .Best regards 

New clarification added: With reference to Section III – Schedule of Requirements, which specifies that the proposed solar kits must be certified under IEC TS 62257-9-8 and IEC TS 62257-9-5 standards with certification issued by the VeraSol organization, we kindly request clarification on the following points:Question 70: Alternative Certification Acceptance:Would UNOPS consider equivalent certifications issued by other IEC-accredited or internationally recognized testing bodies that verify compliance with IEC 62257 standards, in cases where VeraSol certification is not available for the proposed product?Answer 70:VeraSol certification is a mandatory requirement of this ITB, and an equivalent certification cannot be accepted as an alternative.Question 71: Evaluation Criterion Type:Could you please confirm whether the VeraSol certification is treated as a “pass/fail” criterion during the technical evaluation, meaning that bids lacking this exact certificate would be automatically disqualified?We raise this question because, as of now, many manufacturers (including ourselves) have valid IEC test reports and quality certifications but are not currently covered under the VeraSol program, which could significantly limit the number of compliant offers and overall competition.Answer 71:We confirm that bids lacking this exact certificate would be automatically disqualified.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 69:Pricing and Order Quantity Flexibility:We understand that we can submit a single price either for 1,000,000 kits or for 400,000 kits. not both pricings.We also understand that if we propose a unit price based on 1,000,000 kits, UNOPS may choose to order only approximately 400,000 kits (±20%), which would correspond to a minimum of 320,000 kits, at the unit price offered for 1 million.Is this understanding correct?Thank you for your clarification.Best regards,Answer 69:400,000 kits is the minimum quantity allowed and 1,000,000 the maximum, meaning Bidders can offer any quantity between 400,000 and 1,000,000 kits (ie: 400,000 or 500,000 or 600,000 etc. )And yes Bidders are not allowed to propose multiple offers. They should offer one single quantity (total quantity they are able to deliver) and therefore one single price.Based on your example, if a Bidder offer 1,000,000 kits and the bid is the lowest priced substantially compliant with the price reasonableness established, the Bidder will be awarded following one of the two below options at UNOPS discretion:1- Award the full quantity of 1,000,000 at the price offered for 1,000,000 kits2- Based on the quantity variation rule (±20%): Award a quantity that could range between 800,000 and 1,200,000 kits and at the same unit price offered for 1,000,000 kits.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 68:Warranty Certificate Submission:The bid requirements specify that "a warranty certificate in the name of the Ministry of Energy and Hydrocarbons must be provided by the bidder. The certificate should extend for one year and include details of spare parts, as well as the conditions and scope of the warranty."However, in the bid submission portal, under the list of required documents, we are unable to find where to upload this warranty certificate issued in the name of the Ministry. Will this certificate need to be provided before the award, or can it be submitted after the contract is awarded?Thank you for your clarification.Best regardsAnswer 68:The Warranty certificate should be provided after signature of the contract.Best regards.

New clarification added: Question 67: "Name of the Bidder" in Various FormsFor a consortium bid, it appears that the "Name of the Bidder" at the end of the Form B: Bid Submission Form should be the name of the entire consortium, rather than the name of the leading partner alone. Could you please confirm if this understanding is correct?Similarly, does this also apply to Form C: Price Schedule and other forms such as Form D, Form G, and all other related templates? Is the "Name of the Bidder" here also the name of the consortium?Additionally, we well understood that all these forms are signed only by the leading partner, except for Form A, which should be signed by all members of the consortium.Thank you for your clarification.Best regards,Answer 67:When a joint venture, consortium, or association submits an offer, Partners are required to fill in and sign Form A. In that Form A, Partners are required to designate the Leading Partner, and that Leading Partner is the one to submit and sign the other Forms in its name (Leading Partner Name).Best regards. 

New clarification added: Question 66:For Bid security submission purposes, please indicate the physical address where it should be delivered. Also clarify: Should the bid security should be in the Name of UNOPS or Ministry of Energy?RegardsAnswer 66:The Bid Security shall be in the name of UNOPS with the following address:​UNOPS, Immeuble ARASA 3ème étage, Alarobia, Antananarivo, Madagascar.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 65: Request for Extension of Clarification PeriodRegarding the clarification requests, many of our questions have not received your responses. Depending on the answers received, additional clarifications may be necessary to ensure our proposal fully aligns with your expectations.Since there is only one day remaining for submitting clarification requests, we would like to kindly ask if it would be possible to extend this period by an additional two days. This extension would give you more time to respond to our questions and allow us of possibly requesting a final clarification if needed after reviewing your replies.Please let us know your thoughts on this matter.Thank you very much for your understanding and support.Answer 65:The clarification deadline will be extended. Bidders will receive a notification with the new deadline.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 64:The bidding entity has supplied millions of solar lamps to the UN over the last few years, as a preferred supplier. In this case, the bidding entity is a subsidiary that does not meet the required average turnover threshold on its own, but the parent company (as part of a wider group of affiliated entities) meets the financial criteria on a consolidated basis across the group, would UNOPS accept audited financial statements from each company within the group combined with a parent company guarantee letter confirming acceptance of liability for any financial risk associated with the subsidiary?Answer 64:If the Bidder does not meet the financial criteria, UNOPS may accept their parent organization's audited financial statements provided conditions specified in Section II-Evaluation criteria are met.Parent Organisation is understood as a single organisation that has a controlling interest in one or more subsidiary companies.We recall that it is possible to bid as a joint venture/Consortium/association by completing and signing the Form A. In this case All Partners shall be jointly and severally liable to UNOPS for any obligations arising from their offer and the contract that may be awarded to them as a result of the solicitation process.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 63:Considering that a performance bond will be executed to secure contract performance and mitigate financial risk, could UNOPS please clarify the rationale for maintaining the requirement for an average total turnover over the past three years of at least 100% of the bid amount?Given that the performance bond already provides substantial financial assurance, we kindly request UNOPS to consider whether this criterion could be proportionally adjusted or further justified to ensure fairness and broader competition.Answer 63:The assessment of the Bidder financial capability during the evaluation stage and the performance security at the contract stage are both complementary mitigation risks among others that UNOPS can apply in regards to the value of the assessed risk and subsequent loss to UNOPS and its Partner should the contractor fail to fully perform under the respective contract.Bidders based on their financial and delivery capacity can offer between 400,000 and 1,000,000 Kits.In addition, it is allowed to bid as a Joint Venture/Consortium/association where experience and turnover requirements must be met by all joint venture members combined.And finally and specific to the financial criteria, where a subsidiary organization fails to meet the requirements for the financial criteria, UNOPS may accept their parent organization's audited financial statements provided conditions specified in Section II-Evaluation criteria are met.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 62:Regarding the delivery schedule, if multiple bidders are awarded the contract, are they all expected to deliver 40,000 kits in the first 10 weeks and subsequently 60,000 kits at the same time? In other words, we are wondering if all the deliveries will happen in paralell or if they will be stagered among the suppliers in the 16 weeks, with one supplier providing the kits each time.Answer 62:We require the selected supplier to have the capacity to supply according to the specified schedule (40,000 kits within 10 weeks, then 60,000 kits every 2 weeks), regardless of the quantity they propose in their bid (between 400,000 and 1,000,000 kits) and the outcome of the evaluation (Multiple selected Bidders). Failure to meet the delivery requirement is not acceptable.The precise schedule and final quantities will be discussed and formalized with the selected bidders prior to contract signature, but the capacity to meet the minimum pace is a non-negotiable prerequisite.Best regards. 

New clarification added: Question 60:I have to know at least the city name or the town which the Fokontany Village are located  I mean, the city's names for the commune there are 23 régions and 120 districts.Please share the list.Answer 60:The solar kits are to be delivered to the port of Tamatave by the supplier; you do not need to know the list of locations where the kits will be distributed.  Regarding the warranty, "At least one collective point should be established in each of the 22 regions for kits that are damaged under the warranty", so the list of all Fonkotany is therefore not necessary either.Could you please clarify if you need it for another reason? Question 61:Do you require the installtion also in all the districts.Your prompt reply will help us.Warm RegardsAnswer 61:The supplier is not in charge of the installation of the kits.Best regards

New clarification added: Dear Bidders,This is a follow up answer to Question 46 below regarding the submission of the Bid security for a Consortium. Even though the question was specific to the Bid Security and we confirm the preious answer, we take the opportunity to complete the answer and clarify the submission of the Performance Security for a Consortium if selected (after contract signature):Question 46:If the country were the bidder and its bank are located for compliance reasons is unable to open any financial guarentee to anyone on Madagascar can another member of the Consortium the Bidder is part of open the bid guarentee?Answer 46:When a joint venture, consortium or association submits an offer, the bid security must be submitted in the name of the leading partner.Follow up Answer for the Performance Security:UNOPS can accept the Performance Security from a compliant consortium member, provided that the security instrument clearly references and guarantees the performance of the entire consortium/JV under the contractBest regards

New clarification added: Question 59:And regarding Form H, at the section "Stamp this form with the official stamp of the bidder," is the signature of the consortium's leading partner, with the authority to sign on behalf of the other consortium members, sufficient?Answer 59:The signature of the Leading Partner is sufficient. However, if the bidder has a conflict of interest or has been subject to specific findings, the Leading Partner must ensure the response reflects the compliance status of the entire entity.Best regards.

New clarification added: Question 58:Furthermore, regarding the signatures on all the Forms, for a consortium, is the signature of the leading partner with the authority to sign on behalf of the other consortium members sufficient, or do you require signatures from all members of the consortium on each form?Thank you for your guidance.Best regards,Answer 58:The signature of the leading Partner in all other forms except Form A is sufficient.Best regards.

New clarification added: Bid Submission and Consortium RequirementsQuestion 56: We kindly request clarification regarding Form B: Bid Submission Form :In the case of a consortium, should the submission be signed solely by the leading partner with the authority to bind the entire consortium, or is it necessary to obtain signatures and official stamps from each consortium partner? We will proceed according to your instructions.Answer 56:When a joint venture, consortium, or association submits an offer, the bid submission documents, as well as the bid security, must be submitted in the name of the leading partner. Therefore, Form B should be signed by the Leading Partner on behalf of the other partnersQuestion 57: Additionally, if a consortium is involved, would you like us to include a signed copy of the joint and several liability agreement for the consortium?To our understanding, this requirement does not appear explicitly in the bid documents, but please confirm whether it is required.Thank you for your guidance.Best regards,Answer 57:By completing and signing Form A (Joint Venture Partner Information Form), Partners confirm that they shall be jointly and severally liable to UNOPS for the fulfillment of the provisions of the Contract, therefore binding themselves through that Form A. And the signature of the leading Partner in all other forms except Form A is sufficient.Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 55:Could you please clarify what would trigger the performance guarantee? Would a delivery delay consider a reason to activate it?Kind regards,Answer 55:The performance security can be triggered if the supplier fails to fulfil any of the terms, provisions or conditions of the contract.Regarding delivery delays, there is a provision that UNOPS may apply under liquidated damages: "UNOPS will deduct from the Contract price, as liquidated damages, a sum equivalent to the percentage of 0.5% of the original total Contract price for each day of delay until actual delivery or performance, up to a maximum deduction of 10%. Once the maximum is reached, UNOPS may terminate the Contract pursuant to the General Conditions of Contract".Best regards

New clarification added: Question 53:The requirement of annual turonver matching the bid value. Since the delivery is to take place over 16 months, not 12 months, can the annual turnover requirement be adjusted downward accordingly? (75% of annual turnover). Answer 53:The requirement of achieving an average total turnover during the period considered (3 past years) corresponding to at least 100% of the amount of the bid is part of the Bidder financial capability assessement and not linked to the schedule of requirement. The requirement will not be adjusted downward.Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 54:For the evaluation process, it appears that we will be required to send samples. Do you have an estimated date or timeframe by which we will need to submit samples of the solar kit from our offer?Thank you for your clarification.Best regards,Answer 55:The sending of samples will not take place at the evaluation stage. The awarded company will need to provide a sample before the contract is signed. However, if we confirm a site visit to the company, the sample will not be required. This final decision will be communicated later, once the evaluation is completeBest regards 

New clarification added: Question 52: Experience Evidence Requirements for ConsortiumRegarding criterion 3.1 of Section II, it states that two pieces of evidence of similar experience at the international level must be provided, along with certificates of service completion.In the case of a consortium, should each member submit two separate evidence documents, resulting in four evidence files for two members or six for three members?Or, as per our undestanding, is it sufficient that the entire consortium as a whole provides only two evidence documents?We would appreciate your clarification to ensure our submission complies with the requirements.Thank you for your assistance.Best regards,Answer 52:Where bidders are submitting their offers as a joint venture/consortium/association, all joint venture members combined must meet this requirement. Therefore it is sufficient that the consortium as a whole provide only 2 evidences.We would like to let you know that we took note of your other questions regarding submission of bid documents as a consortium as well as the battery capacity requirement, warranty period costs and sample submission, we will revert to you shortly and thanks in advance for your patience.Best regards  

New clarification added: We would be grateful if you could kindly clarify the following points related to this tender:Question 48: Sample SubmissionCould you please confirm whether bidders are required to provide any product samples at the bidding stage, or will samples only be requested after technical evaluation or prior to contract award?Answer 48:The awarded company will need to provide a sample before the contract is signed. This sample must be sent via express courier, and the bidder will bear the costs. However, if we confirm a site visit to the company, the sample will not be required. This final decision will be communicated later, once the evaluation is complete.Question 49: Performance Bond ReturnCould you please clarify when the performance security (10%) will be released — after the delivery and acceptance of the full contracted quantity, or only after the expiration of the warranty period (12 months)?Answer 49:First of all, we would like to specify that performance security should be issued in the form of an unconditional and irrevocable on-demand bank guarantee and should not be in the form of a bond.The performance security will be released no later than 30 days after the delivery and acceptance of the full contracted quantity.Question 50: Currency and Account for BondsAre both the Bid Security (USD 100,000) and Performance Security (10%) required to be issued strictly in USD, or will an equivalent amount in local currency (MGA) be accepted?Answer 50: Please note that following an amendment posted on 29 October, the Bid security amount has been reduced from 100,000 to 50,000 USD. The Bid security and Performance security in the form of Bank Guarantee shall be issued in USD.Question 51: Additionally, could you please confirm whether the issuing bank must hold a local account in Madagascar, or if a reputable international bank with a valid correspondent relationship is acceptable for providing the guarantees?We appreciate your guidance on the above points to ensure full compliance with the tender requirements.Best regards,Answer 51:It is not mandatory to have a local account in Madagascar or for the issuing bank to have a valid representative. The requirement regarding the Bank is the following: "UNOPS will only accept Bank Guarantees from Banks or other Financial Institutions with a minimum Long Term Credit Rating of BBB- with Standard and Poor’s, a minimum Long Term Credit Rating of Baa3 with Moody Investor Services, or a minimum Long Term Credit Rating of BBB- with Fitch Ratings. Any Bank Guarantee issued by a financial institution with a credit rating below the outlined credit ratings will require prior validation from UNOPS".Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 47:Kindly clarify if four lighting points with combined 800lm and one additional torch is acceptable to pass the technical evaluation, under the condition that all other technical requirements are met. Answer 47:In the case that the bidder proposes a flashlight, the total number of light points can, exceptionally, be increased to a maximum of four, but the four light points must include the torch. Four light point + the torch means 5 light points and is therefore not acceptableBest regards

New clarification added: Question 46:If the country were the bidder and its bank are located for compliance reasons is unable to open any financial guarentee to anyone on Madagascar can another member of the Consortium the Bidder is part of open the bid guarentee?Answer 46:When a joint venture, consortium or association submits an offer, the bid security must be submitted in the name of the leading partner.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 44:Can the bidding guarentee be opened by a different entity than the actual bidder?Answer 44:The Bid Security has to be issued in a form of a Bank Guarantee, therefore issued by the Bidder's bank and using the template provided as Form E in the document: Amendment 1_Section IV - Returnable bidding forms.Question 45:Same question for performance guarentee.Answer 45:The Performance Security has to be issued in  the form of an unconditional and irrevocable on-demand Bank Guarantee as set out in the document titled Section V: Contract Forms; therefore issued by the selected Bidder's Bank (After award).Please revert to us if not clarified.Best regards. 

New clarification added: Question 41:Do the bidding documents specify the exact appearance (e.g., shape, dimensions, color) of the main product components?Our Understanding:No. The bidding documents do not mandate specific aesthetic aspects such as exact shape, precise dimensions, or body color for the main components. This allows bidders significant design freedom, provided all functional requirements are met.Answer 41:The color would be discussed at the contracting phase. There is not other requirement regarding the exact appearance / aesthetic aspects of the main product components.Question 42:Are there any mandatory requirements related to appearance that must be followed?Our Understanding:While aesthetic design is open, the following mandatory requirements influence the product's form:1. Physical Architecture: The solar panel must be a separate component from the Main Unit. Integrated designs are not permitted.2. Labeling and Identification:   · A label (approx. 6 cm x 3 cm) must be securely attached to one of the product's main components (solar panel or Main Unit) and remain legible.   · An identification QR code must be present on the solar panel.3. Functional Components: The design must accommodate all internal and external parts (e.g., the Main Unit must house the battery, circuitry, lights, and USB port(s)).Answer 42: Points 1 and 2 are correct but we do not understand the point 3. May you clarify please? Question 43:Are there color requirements for the packaging box?Our Understanding:Yes. The bidding documents explicitly state that the packaging box must use specific "Jirama" colors: Orange (EF8201) and Blue (2D56A7). The final packaging design is subject to validation by UNOPS after contract award.Answer 43:Correct.Best regards 

New clarification added: "Note to the Bidder who raised the following questions initially numeroted from Q1 to Q12: Due to space restrictions in the system we are separating answers into 2 clarifications. The first one below under Questions/answers 32 to 40, and the second one will follow under Questions/answers 41 to 43."Could you clarify the following questions:.These questions reflect our understanding of the system composition and technical specifications. Kindly confirm if our understanding is accurate. Your prompt response would be greatly appreciated.Question 32: What are the main components of the entire solar kit system?Our Understanding:The system is a multi-component solution, primarily comprising:· Main Unit: The core component containing the built-in battery, control circuit, main light(s), and USB output port(s).· Portable Lamp: A detachable lamp capable of independent operation away from the main unit.· Solar Panel: A separate panel for generating power for the system.· Flashlight/Torch (Optional): A standalone tool for focused lighting.· Accessories: Including a mandatory multi-tip charging cable.Answer 32:Correct. Please note that the torch/flashlight can be proposed as the portable lamp Question 33: Can you detail the functions of the Main Unit?Our Understanding:The Main Unit serves as the central hub of the system with the following functions:· It houses a large-capacity built-in battery for energy storage.· It contains a control circuit to manage charging and discharging.· It provides primary illumination (typically with one or two fixed LED lights).· It is equipped with at least one USB Type-A output port for charging small devices like phones.· It provides connection ports for linking to the solar panel and for charging the portable lamp.Answer 33:It is not mandatory that the portable lamps has to connect to the main unit to charge. The other conceivable option is that the portable lamp can recharge directly by being plugged into the kit's solar panel.Question 34: What are the features of the Portable Lamp?Our Understanding:The Portable Lamp is a detachable light with the following features:· It can be physically separated from the main unit and used independently.· It contains its own built-in battery, enabling several hours of operation after charging.· It must offer at least two lighting modes: high and low.· It is designed to meet mobile lighting needs indoors or for short-term outdoor use.Answer 34:It is not mandatory for the portable lamp to depend on the central unit. It can also be a standalone lamp, which charges on the kit's single solar panel.Question 35: What are the key specifications of the Solar Panel?Our Understanding:The key specifications for the Solar Panel are:· It must be a separate, foldable, or portable panel connected to the main unit via a cable.· Its function is to convert solar energy into electricity to charge the entire system (Main Unit and Portable Lamp).· Its peak power must be between 10W and 20W.Answer 35:The solar panel does not have to be foldable. The solar panel can also be directly connected to the portable lamp.Question 36: What is the role and requirement for the Flashlight/Torch? How is it charged?Our Understanding:· Role: The flashlight/torch is a standalone tool for strong, focused lighting (e.g., for long-distance illumination or night walks).· Requirement: Its brightness must be at least 45 lumens. This brightness is excluded from the total system brightness calculation.· Charging Method: It is charged via a charging cable connected to the Main Unit's USB output port.Answer 36:The flaslight/torch is charged via a charging cable connected to the usb output port. The USB port is not necessarily on the main unit.Question 37: What important accessory is included in the kit?Our Understanding:The kit must include a multi-tip charging cable. This cable must integrate multiple connectors, including at least Type-A, Type-C, and mini-USB tips, to enable direct charging of most mobile phones without additional adapters.Answer 37:The solar kit serves as a power source for external devices via a USB port, offering a charging solution of small devices, such as cell phones and flashlights. Small devices are not limited to mobile phones; we can also imagine a radio, for example.Question 38:What are the requirements for the number and type of light sources in the system?Our Understanding:The requirements are as follows:· Quantity: A minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 light points.· Exception: If a flashlight/torch is included, the total number of light points can be up to 4 (i.e., 3 fixed/portable lights + 1 flashlight/torch).· Portability: At least 1 light point must be detachable, portable, and capable of operating autonomously using its built-in battery.Answer 38:Correct. The flashlight/torch can be consired as the 1 detechable light point. Question 39:What are the mandatory requirements for the performance and brightness of the light sources?Our Understanding:The mandatory requirements include:· Total Brightness: The combined brightness of all light points (excluding the flashlight/torch) must be no less than 800 lumens. This is a mandatory minimum threshold.· Flashlight Brightness: If provided, the flashlight/torch must have a brightness of at least 45 lumens.· Lighting Modes: Each light point must provide at least two lighting modes: low brightness and high brightness.Answer 39:If one of the two or three lamps in the proposed kit product is detachable, it must imperatively have two lighting modes. However, if one of the two or three lamps in the product is not detachable, and a separate torch is provided, the latter may only have one lighting mode. Question 40:What runtime requirement must the system meet?Our Understanding:The Main Lighting Unit (typically the unit integrating the main battery) must provide a minimum of 3 hours of continuous runtime in high mode when powered solely by solar energy.Answer 40:The "minimum runtime in the high mode requirement, when used autonomously with solar energy" is a parameter evaluated as part of the Verasol certification. We confirm your interpretation and include below the official definition from Verasol: "run time for the main unit assuming 5kWh/m²/day with lights on the highest setting and without any other loads used during the run time."Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 31:Regarding the requirement for the certification of the solar kit issued by VeraSol, we believe this requirement is highly targeted and biased, which undermines the fairness of this tender. Could it be revised to require the provision of a certificate issued by VeraSol or an equivalent testing institution?Thank you and best regards.Answer 31:The VeraSol certification is a requirement coming from the beneficiary and signatory of the project, the Ministry of Energy and Hydrocarbons of Madagascar. It is therefore not possible to review this requirement.Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 29:Could you please clarify whether the Form E bid security should be issued on official letterhead of the bank?Answer 29:The bid security can be issued on an official letterheaded of the bank. But please note that the template format and terms should not be altered.Please also note that bid security amount has just been amended to reduce the amount from 100,000 USD to 50,000 USD.Question 30:Additionally, is the beneficiary address correct as follows?UNOPS Madagascar, Centre d’Affaires Alarobia, Route des Hydrocarbures, Amboniloha, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.Please confirm so that we can proceed accordingly.Thank you for your assistance.Best regards,Answer 30:The beneficiary address is: ​UNOPS, Immeuble ARASA 3ème étage, Alarobia, Antananarivo 101, MadagascarBest regards

New clarification added: Question 28:In the Price Schedule Form (Form C), within the "Prices related to services" table, the service fee for "inspection prior to delivery" (such as inspection by SGS or Bureau Veritas) indicates that we must pay for this inspection for each delivery.  Are you requesting us to specify the price for each individual delivery? If so, we would need to replace "lump sum" with "per delivery" in the table.  Do you agree with this approach?Thank you.Answer 28:The Price Schedule Form is amended to remove "physical quantity" from the unit column and confirming the requested unit which is lump sum. The lumpsum price should cover the total quantity your are bidding for.Best regards 

New clarification added: Follow up answers to questions raised during the pre bid meeting held on 22 october 2025:Please note that questions numerotations refers to the pre bid meeting minutes uploaded among the tender documents:Question B:Verasol certification: Verasol basically checks on the IEC requirements. What we've been seeing is that other UN organizations are accepting certifications from ISO-certified laboratories for solar products because Verasol doesn't allow for quickly making adaptations on the products. Innovation is very expensive to makechanges.Is there some flexibility particularly with the kits, since Verasol would not certify a kit. How UNOPS is approaching this.Answer B (Follow up):The Verasol certification is part of the requirement that will be evaluated. The requirement from our partners, which is the Government of Madagascar, is to have a mandatory Verasol certificate. Now in terms of timeline and the request to submit the certificate at the time of the award, the answer is no as it is part of the document we need to evaluate.Question C (Follow up):Manufacturers registration documents: Most of the manufacturers are in China and documents in Chinese. We are used to providing the Chinese certificate and also to translate it into French or into English just to ease your evaluation process.Do you want the certificates in the original version or do you want any translation into french or englishAnswer C:The submission of original documents in their respective language is required. However, a translation of the information is mandatory. We strongly advise you to include the certified English translation with all other documents requested in the tender. An addendum will be drafted to highlight that requirement.Question E:Delivery schedule: The requirement is delivery over a 16 month period with 40,000 kits 10 weeks after contract signature, and subsequent deliveries of 60,000 kits each 15 days. Based on a case with 400,000 kits awarded, and the above schedule, delivery should be completed after 16 weeks and not 16 months. So what is the correct timeline: 16 months or 16 weeksAnswer E (Follow up):The initial schedule (40,000 kits after 10 weeks, then 60,000 kits every 2 weeks) is a critical, pass/fail requirement that any selected bidder must be capable of meeting, regardless of the final quantity they are awarded (which could range from 400,000 to 1,000,000 kits).The 16-month timeline is the maximum total time horizon planned for the entire project, considering a total quantity of 1,240,000 kits distributed among all selected bidders. We need confirmation that your company has the capacity to adhere to the required delivery pace: 40,000 kits after 10 weeks, then 60,000 kits every 2 weeks. The final schedule will be discussed  and confirmed with the selected bidders during the contractual stage.Question F: Follow up on question E: Delivery scheduleBased on your answer (E) (prelimanry answer provided during the meeting) do you mean if we meet the first delivery of 40,000 kits within 10 weeks, but we cannot meet the second delivery requirement of 60,000 every 15 days and offer for example 60,000 every 21 days, will it be accepted?Answer F: (revised):We require the selected supplier to have the capacity to supply according to the specified schedule (40,000 kits within 10 weeks, then 60,000 kits every 2 weeks), regardless of the quantity they propose in their bid (between 400,000 and 1,000,000 kits).Failure to meet the delivery pace of 60,000 kits every 2 weeks is not acceptable.The precise schedule and final quantities will be discussed and formalized with the selected bidders prior to contract signature, but the capacity to meet the minimum pace is a non-negotiable prerequisite.Question G:Verasol certificate: It needs 2,5 months to get the verasol certification which is out of the tender deadline. Can we provide the certificate after the award?Answer G (Follow up):The Verasol certification is part of the requirement that will be evaluated. There was a similar question regarding the type of certification that can be proposed by the Bidders and if we can have some equivalent to the Verasol.The requirement from our partners, which is the Government of Madagascar, is to have a mandatory Verasol certificate.  Now in terms of timeline and the request to submit the certificate at the time of the award, the answer is no as it is part of the document we need to evaluate.Best regards

New amendment added #1: The ITB is hereby amended to:1- Upload the followings documents that form part of the official sollicitation documents:The Pre bid Meeting presentationThe Pre-bid Meeting minutes: Bidders should note that follow up answers to some of the questions raised during the meeting will be provided through the clarification functionality.2- Reduce the bid security amount from 100,000 USD to 50,000 USDBidders should note that the Pre Bid meeting held on 22 october 2025 preceded the decision on reducing the bid security amount, hence the slides presented to participant and the minutes uploaded mention the initial amount 100,000 USD. Bidder should therefore take into consideration the new amended amount of 50,000 USD.3- Edit Section III-Schedule of requirements:Table C: Warranty period requirementsImportant notes: Paragraph 5 added on the submission of certificates and all other required documentsBidders should therefore be guided by this newly uploaded document: Amendment 1_Section_III_Schedule of requirements_ITB-2025-57752_Solar Kits4- Edit section IV - Returnable bidding forms as per the follow:Form C - Price Schedule form: The related service table edited by removing "physical quantity" from the unit column and confirming the Lump sum as unit.Form D - Technical Bid form: Edited as per the changes in Section III - Schedule of requirement.Bidders should therefore be guided by this newly uploaded document: Returnable Bidding Forms__ITB-2025-57752_Solar Kits

New clarification added: Question 27:Thank you for the clarification that the preventative maintenance will be removed. Kindly follow up on the questions of handling the corrective maintenance, if the new requirement is "The warranty will only cover the repair or replacement of defective kits."Please confirm that all solar home kits requiring repair or replacement will be sent to one of the established service location/collection points only.Answer 27:At least 1 collective point should be established in each of the 22 regions for kits that are damaged under the warranty. The supplier commits to replacing defective kits under the warranty within a maximum period of 30 days from the receipt of the request and the kit.Best regards.

New clarification added: Question 24:Firstly, would it be possible to reduce the MOQ from 400,000 kits to 100,000 or any other amount below 400,000?Answer 24:No, it is not possible to reduce the minimum required quantity.Question 25:Also, would it be possible to extend the delivery period from 16 months to 36 months, or any other period above 16 months?Answer 25:The 16-month period cannot be extended.Question 26:Lastly, does the beneficiary have to pay anything for the kit or is it donated in full by UNOPS? Answer 26:There is no financial counterpart for the beneficiariesBest regards

New clarification added: Question 23:In relation to ITB Section I, Article 35, Payment Terms, which specifies payment 30 days after receipt of goods and no advance payments, bidders are required to arrange for significant working capital financing. The cost of this financing is a material component of the total bid price and is directly influenced by the geographic location and jurisdiction of the paying entity. To ensure our pricing is accurate and competitive, could UNOPS please confirm the legal entity and the country from which payments for the resulting contract will be initiated? Answer 23:The payment will be made by UNOPS, under the contract between UNOPS and the selected supplier.Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 19: "Related Services." – is this cost per pcs, this means we should calculate based on 400.000 pcs ? Answer 19:The cost is a lump sum cost covering the total quantity your are bidding form. An amendment will be issued to remove the mention of "quantity and physical unit"  from the quantity column as the unit should be lump sum, and remove "(a)x(b)" from the total column.​Question 20:From the "Local Partner Form C: Price Schedule Form." Do we understand correctly, that these costs are considered part of "Related Services."? Warranty Follow-up: All activities related to managing the one-year warranty period. After-Sales Service: The operational costs for establishing and maintaining collection points in the 22 regions of Madagascar for damaged kits. This includes staffing, communication channels, and logistics for replacing defective units within the stipulated 30-day period. Key Personnel: Salaries and associated costs for the required personnel, including the two general electricity technicians and one solar energy technician. Operational Equipment: Costs for the two liaison vehicles (whether owned or rented) necessary for regional travel. Training: The cost of organizing and delivering the half-day training session in Antananarivo for up to 10 participants. As stated in the "Related services requirements" (Section F), "All costs associated with this training, including room rental will be borne by the supplier and must be included in the submitted price schedule." Administrative and Overhead Costs: Any other administrative or overhead expenses incurred by the local partner in fulfilling their contractual obligations. Answer 20:Could you please clarify your question? There is no cost associated with the elements related to the local representation. Indeed, the elements presented in part D (Qualifications of the bidder's local representative) of section III - Schedule of requirements - such as the key personnel or the 2 liaison vehicles -, are required to ensure the robustness of the local representative. Question 21:To confirm our understanding of the evaluation criteria, regarding Section III, A. Technical specifications, under 'Luminosity' and 'Lighting points': If a bidder's proposed solution includes a main lighting system and a separate, autonomously powered portable lamp (as required), should the lumen output of this portable lamp be included in the calculation for the 'total combined luminous power' of the kit? Answer 21:An additional, detachable system with its own solar panel will not be eligible. A "separate autonomously powered portable lamp" is not eligible if it is coupled with a 2nd independent and dedicated solar panel. Indeed, as specified in the schedule of requirements, the kit must include a separate photovoltaic panel, designed to power and/or simultaneously recharge all the light points offered. Thus, the kit must have only one solar panel.At least one (1) of the lighting points must:• Be detachable and portable• Be powered or recharged by the same solar panel as the rest of the system,• Operate autonomously thanks to an integrated battery.Depending on the type of lighting point used to fulfil this requirement:• If a lamp with an integrated battery is used, its lumen output will be included in the calculation of the total lumen capacity of a minimum 800lm.• If a flashlight or torch rechargeable via USB is used, it must provide at least 45 lumens, but its lumen output will not be included in the total lumen capacity calculation of a minimum 800lm.Question 22: Regarding the certification requirements in Section III, A., which state that 'All components of the kit... must be identical to those tested and mentioned in the Verasol certification.' In a scenario where a proposed solution meets all technical requirements by combining a main solar system (covered by one Verasol certificate) with a required supplementary component, such as the mandatory portable lamp, which is a distinct product covered by its own separate Verasol certificate, would this be considered a compliant offer? Answer 22:If the mandatory portable lamp meets the criteria outlined in answer 21 but is certified under a different Verasol certification than the solar kit, the offer may still be accepted, provided that the portable lamp can be added to the solar kit without requiring additional testing, as stated below:“In cases where the proposed kit is part of a Verasol-certified product family, but the exact system configuration is not listed among the certified systems, the proposed configuration may be eligible only if no additional testing is required. In these circumstances, the bidder must provide sufficient proof that the process of adding the proposed configuration to the certified family has been formally initiated. This proof must include, at a minimum, a signed service contract with Verasol specifically covering the proposed configuration, as well as proof of payment of the associated certification fees. The submission must also include the calculation of the available daily electrical energy (Wh/day) for the proposed configuration, in accordance with the Verasol methodology.”Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 18:We have the impression that the criterion specifying a minimum of 16 Wh/day of available energy for the battery seems unusual. There may also be a typographical error, and the intended value could be 26 Wh/day.A PV panel with a minimum of 10 Wc typically produces over 45 Wh/day in Madagascar.Additionally, we have observed that 100% of the VERASOL certified kits with PV between 10 Wc and 20 Wc have a results sheet showing a range from approximately 28 Wh/day to 47 Wh/day, which aligns well with expected values.Could you please clarify whether the 16 Wh/day minimum is correct or if it should be 26 Wh/day?Thank you for your assistance.Best regards,Answer 18:We confirm that the available daily electrical energy must be at least sixteen (16) Watt-hours per day (Wh/day). All other minimum technical requirements must be met.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 17:As we have the capacity to produce up to 1 million kits, would it be acceptable to propose tiered pricing based on quantity ranges, such as:400,000 to 600,000 units601,000 to 800,000 units801,000 to 1,000,000 unitsWe are prepared to offer more competitive pricing for higher quantity ranges. Please let us know if this approach is feasible.Thank you for your consideration.Answer 17:Multiple offers and/or tiered pricing based on quantity ranges are not allowed. Bidders based on their own assessment should propose only one quantity (total quantity) they are capable of delivering and offer a unique unit price based on that total quantity.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 16:For our LED bulbs included in our VERASOL product family certification and specification, we have two luminosity values: the Measured Luminous Flux (lm) and the Luminous Flux Rating (lm). These two values are different.Regarding your verification criteria concerning the requirement of 800 lm, which value do you consider as the accurate one— the measured value (Measured Luminous Flux) provided by VERASOL, or the rating value (Luminous Flux Rating)?Thank you for your clarification.Best regards.Answer 16:Quoting Section III : Schedule of requirementsIn the event of a disparity between the declared nominal values and the tested values, it is the tested values appearing in the Verasol certification that will be taken into account for the technical evaluation.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 15:We would like to know if UNOPS will be making payments on every batch delivered or if it will pay at the end of 16 months after total delivery of all issued PO kits?RegardsAnswer 15:Payments will be made in proportion to partial deliveries (batch delivered) as scheduled (Section III - Schedule of requirements), within 30 days after receipt of the goods/services and on submission of payment documentation.Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 14:kindly clarify the scope of the required preventative and corrective maintenance.Without the exact locations and quantities of kits, it is difficult to provide UNOPS with a competitive and beneficial corrective and preventative maintenance offer which is sustainable for all stakeholders. Kindly provide more details on the preventative maintenance - how many times per year? At which locations? How preventative maintenance be conducted with such a small kit? How should the kits be located, as they are not permanently mounted somewhere?How should corrective maintenance be handled? Will there be call outs? How many should be included per year? We suggest that items which require corrective maintenance should be sent to one of the 22 designated locations and preventative maintenance to be removed from the scope of work. Answer 14:The warranty will only cover the repair or replacement of defective kits. An addendum will be drafted, and the term "preventive maintenance" will be removed.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 6:According to the tender documents, the bidder needs to provide the certification of the solar kit issued by VeraSol, but this certification approval needs more than 2.5 months, so could we apply to extend the deadline of this tender by 3 months?Thank you and best regards.Answer 6:The Verasol certification is part of the requirement that will be evaluated. There was a similar question regarding the type of certification that can be proposed by the Bidders and if we can have some equivalent to the Verasol.The requirement from our partners, which is the Government of Madagascar, is to have a mandatory Verasol certificate.  Now in terms of timeline and the request to submit the certificate at the time of the award, the answer is no as it is part of the document we need to evaluate.Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 5:We would like to clarify one point regarding the scope of work:Into the document "Section_III_Schedule of requirements_ITB-2025-57752_Solar Kits", in the section "C. Warranty and documents for the solar systems", "Warranty - Period" it is mentioned that "Collective points should be established in each of the 22 regions for kits that are damaged under the warranty." but at the end of the document, into the "Additional Information", it is mentioned that "after-sales service contract might be established between the Ministry of Energy and Hydrocarbons and the local representation" which includes "Establish a collection point in each of the 22 regions for kits that are damaged". So, could you please clarify whether the cost related to the establishement of the collection point in each of the 22 regions should be included into our offer and it is part of the scope of work of this tender, or if this will be offered into a seperate contract with the Ministry of Energy and Hydrocarbons ?Thank you and best regardsAnswer 5:The warranty will only cover the repair or replacement of defective kits. An addendum will be drafted, by which the mention of "preventive maintenance" will be removed.Under the terms of this warranty, we request that the supplier, through its local representative, identifies collection points where non-functional kits—due to defects covered by the warranty—will be sent for either repair or replacement.Regarding other after-sales service (ASS) related services, the discussion is currently ongoing with the MEH.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 12:We intend to provide a rechargeable flashlight as an additional detachable lighting point.Could you please confirm whether the flashlight needs to have two lighting modes, or if a single lighting mode is acceptable as long as it meets the minimum 45 lumens brightness and 3-hour autonomy requirements?Answer 12:If one of the two or three lamps in the proposed kit product is detachable, it must imperatively have two lighting modes. However, if one of the two or three lamps in the product is not detachable, and a separate torch is provided, the latter may only have one lighting mode. Furthermore, the "minimum runtime of  3 hours in the high mode requirement, when used autonomously with solar energy " concerns the main light source and therefore the flashlight - as an addtionnal detachable lighting point -  is not subject to this requirement.Question 13: Regarding Form E: Bid Security Form (BANK GUARANTEE)Could you kindly confirm the exact Bank Beneficiary Name and Address of UNOPS to be inserted in the form?This will ensure that our bank issues the guarantee correctly in accordance with UNOPS requirements.Kind regards,Answer 13:The beneficiary is not UNOPS Bank, but UNOPS itself with the following address provided under the tender system particulars tab: UNOPS, Immeuble ARASA 3ème étage, Alarobia, Antananarivo, Madagascar.Best regards,

New clarification added: Could you clarify the following questions:Question 7Is the solar lamp used for road lighting or outdoor venue lighting?Answer 7:The solar kit provides indoor and outdoor lighting Question 8:Are the solar panel and the lamp body integrated or separated?Answer 8:The kit must include a separate photovoltaic panelQuestion 9:Please provide the approximate size requirements; otherwise, the price difference will be significant.Answer 9:No size requirements will be provided for reference as part of this bidQuestion 10:Please provide reference pictures; otherwise, the price difference will be significant.Answer 10:No photo will be provided for reference as part of this bidQuestion 11:Regarding the delivery period, especially the first delivery within 70 days, does this time include the ocean shipping time?ThanksAnswer 11:The delivery place is the Port of Tamatave, and therefore the delivery periode includes the ocean shipping time (particularly wihtin the 70 days for the first delivery)Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 4:Please advice when PF guarantee needs to be installed and for what percentage.Answer 4:If by PF guarantee you mean the required performance security please note: " Performance security shall be required from the awarded Bidder in the amount of 10% of the total Contract amount, in the form of an unconditional and irrevocable on-demand Bank Guarantee as set out in the document titled Section V: Contract Forms which is available in the Documents section.To minimize Credit Risk, UNOPS will only accept Bank Guarantees from Banks or other Financial Institutions with a minimum Long Term Credit Rating of BBB- with Standard and Poor’s, a minimum Long Term Credit Rating of Baa3 with Moody Investor Services, or a minimum Long Term Credit Rating of BBB- with Fitch Ratings. Any Bank Guarantee issued by a financial institution with a credit rating below the outlined credit ratings will require prior validation from UNOPS.Regarding the submission deadline: The scanned version of the Bank guarantee should be provided within 2 weeks after contract signature, and the hard one within 4 weeks after the contract signature.Best regards 

New clarification added: Question 3:The amount of Bid Security is100,000 USD. It is a bit too high. Could you please consider reducing the amount?Thanks & Best Regards.Answer 3:The tender will be amended to revise the amount downward from 100,000 USD to 50,000 USDBest regards

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmationWe confirm our attendance for the prebid meeting. Answer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, your email has been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmation:We' re hereby confirm to attend the pre-bid meeting today.Thank youAnswer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, your email has been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards

New clarification added: Question 2:Could you please provide sample picture of the product to help us better understand the technical requirementsAnswer 2:No picture will be provided for reference as part of this bidBest regards

New clarification added: Question 1:Regarding the required IEC TS 62257-9-8 and IEC TS 62257-9-5 Certifications, as this is a small solar lighting system,  for such small systems, it is rarely apply for the IEC certification, moreover, the process is lengthy and costly. Could you clarify if the IEC Certifications can be submitted after the bidder is awarded for the contract?Thanks & Best Regards,Answer 1:The kit must be certified in compliance with standards IEC TS 62257-9-8 and IEC TS 62257-9-5. This certification must be issued by the Verasol organization. Bidders must submit evidence of the Verasol certification in their offer.In cases where the proposed kit is part of a Verasol-certified product family, but the exact system configuration is not listed among the certified systems, the proposed configuration may be eligible only if no additional testing is required. In these circumstances, the bidder must provide sufficient proof that the process of adding the proposed configuration to the certified family has been formally initiated.Best regards 

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmationWe would like to inform you that our company will join your online clarification meeting at 9:00am 2025-10-22.Please find our contact information to get the linkThanks for your replyBest Regards.Answer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, the email you provided has been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Please also note that the link is available to all interested companies under the tender system Particulars Tab which is also shared here: meet.google.com/kqj-kwko-czu  ​Best regards

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmation :We would like to inform you that our company will join your online clarification meeting at 9:00am 2025-10-22.Please find our contact information to get the linkThanks for your replyBest Regards.Answer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, the email you provided has been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Please also note that the link is available to all interested companies under the tender system Particulars Tab which is also shared here: meet.google.com/kqj-kwko-czu Best regards

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting confirmation:We would like request to participate into the pre-bid meeting. My email address is as follow.Thank you very much. Best regards, Answer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, the email you provided has been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmation:We would like to inform you that our company will join your online clarification meeting at 9:00am 2025-10-22.Thanks for your attention and best wishes for you.Answer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, the emails you provided have been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmation:We will submit a bid for the tender and will also attend the Pre Bid MettingThank you and wiht best regards,Christopher HuysAnswer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, the email you provided has been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmation:We would like to inform you that our company will join your online clarification meeting at 9:00am 2025-10-22.Here are our contact information:May I ask whether any clarifying response has been provided prior to this?Thanks for your attention and best wishes for you.Answer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, the email you provided has been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.And yes, clarifying question and responses has been provided prior to this and available in the system "Revisions" tab, under Tender Information. Any responses to clarification requests is visible to all vendors.Best regards

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmation:We would like to inform you that our company will join your online clarification meeting at 9:00am 2025-10-22.Here are our contact information:Answer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, the email you provided has been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmation.We hereby confirm our participation in the pre-bid meeting scheduled for 22nd October 2025. Our participant will be as follows: Thank you! Answer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, the email you provided has been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmation:This is to confirm that we will attend the pre bidding session on October 22nd.Answer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, your email has been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards

New clarification added: Pre Bid meeting attendance confirmation:We'd like to confirm out attendance to the pre bid meeting.Participants are.....Thank youAnswer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, the emails you provided have been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmation:I hearby confirm our participation in the online clarification meeting on the 22.10.2025.Please let us know if we need to provide any additional information.Kind regards,Answer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, the email you provided has been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmationWe hereby confirm our participation in the pre-bid meeting scheduled for 22nd October 2025 at 09:00 UTC.Our participants will be as follows:Kind regards,Answer:Thanks for your attendance confirmation, the emails you provided have been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards 

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmation:We would like to inform you that our company will join your online clarification meeting at 9:00am 2025-10-22.Here are our contact information:Answer:Thnaks for your attendance confirmation, your email has been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards 

New clarification added: Pre bid meeting attendance confirmation:We would like to inform you that our company will join your online clarification meeting at 9:00am 2025-10-22.Here are our contact information:Thanks for your attention and best wishes for you.Anwer:Thnaks for your attendance confirmation, the emails you provided have been added to the call so that you have it in your agenda.Best regards.