India: RINL issues buy tender for 100,000 t of blast furnace coke

• Tender sticks to strict quality compliance and eligibility metrics
• Purchase preference for ‘Make in India’ products in sync with govt rules 

Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), operating the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant under the Ministry of Steel, has invited bids for the supply of 100,000 tonnes (t) of Blast Furnace (BF) Coke.

The tender, issued through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) platform under Bid No. GEM/2025/B/6722319 dated 24 September 2025, is scheduled to close on 4 October at 15:00 hrs, with bid opening the same day at 15:30 hrs.

Bid structure and process

The tender is designed as a two-packet bidding system and will conclude with a reverse auction. While part-quantity bidding is allowed, the minimum acceptable bid is set at 30,000 t (12 rakes). The total requirement of 100,000 t will be divided between two successful bidders in a 70:30 ratio, i.e., 70,000 t and 30,000 t respectively.

Delivery and supply requirements

Supply will be executed exclusively through railway rakes (2,500 t per rake) to the RINL siding at Visakhapatnam. The delivery period is fixed at 80 days from contract commencement, with phased dispatch schedules. Adherence to RINL’s technical specifications is mandatory, and all consignments must be tested and certified by NABL-accredited laboratories.

Pre-qualification criteria

Bidders must comply with strict eligibility norms, including:

• Production capacity: Minimum 50,000 t per year of BF coke.
• Experience: Proven supply of at least 30,000 t during the last five years (September 2020-August 2025).
• Financial strength: Average annual turnover of at least INR 88 crore during FY’22, FY’23, and FY’24.
• Technical compliance: NABL-certified test certificates validating conformity with RINL specifications.

Suppliers participating on behalf of manufacturers must hold valid letters of authorisation.

Commercial Terms

• Offer validity: 60 days from bid closing date.
• Performance bank guarantee: 5% of contract value, valid for seven months.
• Payment: 100% of invoice value through 45-day usance Letter of Credit (LC).
• Bid security: No Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) is required; however, bidders must submit a Bid Security Declaration.

Quality assurance and penalties

RINL has specified penalties for deviations from guaranteed parameters:

• Moisture (ARB): Weight reduction @ 1.3% per 1% excess moisture beyond the 5% limit (up to 10%).
• Ash (DB): Penalty of 0.15% of contract price per 0.1% increase above 12.5% (up to 14%).
• Sulphur (DB): Penalty of 0.145% per 0.01% increase above 0.6% (up to 0.8%).
• CSR: Penalty of 0.75% per unit drop below 64 (up to 62).

Any consignment exceeding the absolute technical limits will be liable for rejection.

Preference policies

The tender provides purchase preference in line with Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order, 2017 and subsequent amendments. Priority will also be extended to Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) with valid Udyam registration. Traders and resellers, however, are not eligible for such benefits.

Conclusion

Through this tender, RINL aims to ensure a secure, high-quality, and competitively priced supply of BF coke for its operations. The structured procurement process, coupled with stringent technical and commercial requirements, is intended to maintain supply reliability while promoting compliance with national procurement policies.