Key Tender Details

The RFP's first page expressly provides 11 September 2026 as the commencement date and 16 September 2026 at 18:00 hrs as the bid submission deadline. It also identifies NSDC's e-Procurement portal as the place of submission.

Important Date Alert

The RFP states that a Pre-Proposal Meeting will be held on the date and time specified in the Important Dates, but the Important Dates table reproduced on page 1 does not provide a separate Pre-Proposal Meeting date/time. Similarly, the document explains the technical bid-opening process but does not provide a specific calendar date/time for opening.

Therefore, SkillCouncils.com should not publish an assumed Pre-Bid or opening date as a confirmed date. Bidders should check NSDC's e-Procurement portal and any subsequent corrigendum/addendum for updates. The RFP itself instructs bidders to regularly check the NSDC tender platforms for amendments and clarifications.

Detailed Scope of Work

The selected Training Partner will be responsible for end-to-end implementation of the BOCW RPL and upskilling programme.

The RFP divides the principal implementation into five stages:

1. Mobilization

The Training Partner must:

1. Mobilize eligible registered BOCW workers.
2. Conduct awareness and counselling sessions.
3. Verify worker registration and eligibility.

2. Pre-Screening and Counselling

The selected agency will be required to:

1. Profile candidates.
2. Identify existing skills and competency gaps.
3. Maintain counselling records.

3. Orientation and Bridge Training

The Training Partner must:

1. Deliver training according to the approved curriculum.
2. Deploy ToT-certified trainers.
3. Follow NSDC-prescribed batch sizes.
4. Maintain attendance and training evidence.

4. Assessment

The scope includes:

1. Coordination of assessment schedules with Assessment Bodies.
2. Ensuring candidate participation.
3. Providing assessment infrastructure and required equipment.

5. Certification

The Training Partner must:

1. Facilitate distribution of certificates.
2. Obtain candidate acknowledgements.
3. Upload required documentation on designated portals.
4. Maintain records and submit a set of documents to the NSDC office as required.

The RFP specifically describes the programme as involving 120-hour RPL training for registered BOCW beneficiaries, along with mobilization, counselling, orientation, bridge training, assessment facilitation and certification. Certification is to be facilitated through NCVET-approved Awarding Bodies.

Additional Responsibilities of the Training Partner

The scope extends beyond classroom training. The Training Partner is expected to provide comprehensive candidate management, infrastructure, logistics, documentation and compliance support.

Candidate Management

The agency must:

1. Mobilize eligible registered BOCW beneficiaries only.
2. Verify candidate documents.
3. Maintain candidate records and consent forms.
4. Comply with prescribed minimum and maximum batch sizes.

Training Delivery

The Training Partner must:

1. Conduct training only in approved job roles and locations.
2. Deploy SSC/ToT-certified trainers.
3. Deliver approved curriculum and content.
4. Provide training materials.
5. Monitor safety, discipline and attendance.
6. Maintain geo-tagged photographic and documentary evidence.

Infrastructure and Logistics

Responsibilities include:

1. Arranging training venues.
2. Providing equipment and consumables.
3. Ensuring training aids are available.
4. Complying with branding and visibility requirements.
5. Providing job-role kits wherever applicable.

Assessment Support

The agency must coordinate with appointed Assessment Agencies and facilitate assessment logistics, candidate participation and documentation.

Reporting and Compliance

The Training Partner is required to:

1. Upload batch, candidate and training information to MBOCWWB/NSDC portals.
2. Submit weekly, monthly and quarterly progress reports.
3. Maintain audit-ready records.
4. Obtain trainee acknowledgements.
5. Follow PMKVY 4.0 Guidelines, NSDC SOPs and MBOCWWB instructions.
6. Cooperate with monitoring and audits.
7. Maintain beneficiary confidentiality and data security.

Eligibility / Pre-Qualification Criteria

Only bidders satisfying the eligibility criteria will proceed to technical evaluation. The RFP makes submission of valid, legal and legible supporting documents mandatory.

1. Legal Entity and Registration

The bidder must be a legally registered entity in India, including:

1. Company
2. Society
3. Trust
4. Section 8 Company
5. Partnership Firm
6. LLP

The entity must have been registered in India for at least three years as of the RFP release date.

The bidder must also possess valid:

1. GST registration
2. PAN

Required evidence includes registration/incorporation documentation, GST registration certificate and PAN.

2. NSDC / Government Scheme Experience

The applicant must either:

1. Be a funded or non-funded NSDC Training Partner; or
2. Have implemented another government scheme through Skill India Digital HUB (SIDH) or another government portal involving a minimum of 1,000 candidates.

Supporting evidence may include an NSDC empanelment letter/MoU/agreement or a relevant SIDH/government portal dashboard showing at least 1,000 certified candidates.

3. Financial Eligibility

The bidder must have:

1. Positive net worth, and
2. Minimum average annual turnover of ₹5 crore

for Training Partner/similar services during the previous three financial years specified in the eligibility section: FY 2023-24, FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26.

The RFP clarifies that the turnover must be the individual bidder's turnover and not group-company turnover.

Required documents include CA certificates with UDIN and audited balance sheets.

4. Minimum Experience

The bidder must have at least 3 years' experience in India in implementing:

1. Skill development programmes;
2. Vocational training programmes; or
3. Capacity Building Training programmes

for any Government Department.

In addition, the bidder must have trained at least 25,000 participants during the past three years under any Government Department. Work orders/contracts/agreements and completion certificates are required as supporting evidence.

5. Non-Blacklisting / Non-Debarment

The bidder must not be debarred, blacklisted or suspended by Central/State Government departments, government agencies, PSUs, government-affiliated agencies or multilateral agencies as of bid submission.

The RFP additionally states that the bidder, its Training Partner or any Training Centre should not be currently blacklisted for any project implemented by NSDC/MSDE.

A notarised declaration on ₹100 stamp paper is prescribed along with the relevant authorised signatory/company director certification.

Professional / Technical Qualification Requirements

The technical evaluation carries a total of 100 marks. Only bidders passing the eligibility requirements are taken forward for technical evaluation.

Trainers

The bidder must propose at least 10 trainers and submit their CVs.

The RFP states that each proposed trainer must be ToT certified and have relevant sectoral experience. The scoring structure awards:

• 0.25 mark per trainer for experience between 3 and 5 years.
• 0.5 mark per trainer for experience above 5 years.

RFP drafting point: the eligibility text uses the wording “minimum of five (3) years”, while the scoring begins at three years. This is internally inconsistent and should be checked against any corrigendum/clarification issued by NSDC rather than silently interpreting it.

Geographical Experience

Technical marks are awarded based on implementation across states/districts during the previous three years:

1. Minimum 10 districts and 2 states – 3 marks
2. Minimum 20 districts and 4 states – 5 marks
3. Minimum 30 districts and 6 states – 10 marks
4. Additional 5 marks for successfully training at least 10,000 participants in Meghalaya.

Approach & Methodology

This is the largest technical component, carrying 40 marks. The presentation will be assessed on:

1. Understanding of project objectives and scope
2. Implementation plan and timelines
3. Mobilization and candidate outreach strategy
4. Training delivery methodology
5. Technology/innovation
6. Monitoring mechanism

The bidder must submit a technical proposal along with a 10–15 slide presentation, which may subsequently be presented virtually or in person before the Technical Evaluation Committee.

Financial Criteria

The minimum financial threshold is a positive net worth and average annual turnover of ₹5 crore for the specified Training Partner/similar services.

For technical scoring:

Required financial documents include audited financial statements and a CA-certified turnover statement.

Payment Structure

The RFP provides an approved cost structure of:

The RFP notes that the above cost is as per the MoU signed with the department and that applicable taxes are included. Payments are linked to achievement of defined milestones and verified outcomes, and partial achievement may result in pro-rata payment.

Important: ₹8,182 per candidate should not be described as the total estimated tender/project cost because the RFP does not establish a total beneficiary target/project value in the material reviewed.

Tender Fee, EMD and Estimated Cost

One of the most important points for bidders is that the RFP text reviewed does not specify a tender fee or EMD/bid security amount.

Accordingly, the following table should be used on the website:

The absence of an EMD/tender-fee provision in the RFP should not be interpreted as an automatic exemption unless NSDC's portal, corrigendum or subsequent clarification confirms it.

Submission Guidelines

The bid is to be submitted through the NSDC e-Procurement Portal. The RFP specifically requires bidders to submit the Technical and Financial Proposals through the prescribed e-Procurement method.

Key online submission requirements

1. Register on the NSDC e-Tendering Portal.
2. Obtain a Class III Digital Signature Certificate with both signing and encryption components.
3. Prepare the Technical Proposal according to the prescribed Sections II, III and IV.
4. Submit the Financial Proposal separately as prescribed.
5. Ensure all documents are signed and complete.
6. Include the required Power of Attorney/authorisation.
7. Do not include financial bid information in the Technical Proposal.
8. Do not submit alternative CVs for the same Key Expert position.
9. Cloud links for proposals/documents/presentations are not accepted.
10. The proposal should generally not exceed 20 MB; where necessary, multiple files may be uploaded subject to the portal's attachment limit of 25 MB.
11. Submit before 16 September 2026 at 18:00 hrs.

The RFP states that the e-Procurement server clock will be the reference for determining the closing time. Internet connectivity, heavy server traffic and related technical problems will not ordinarily be accepted as grounds for late submission.

Bid Evaluation and Selection

The evaluation process operates in stages.

First, NSDC evaluates compliance with the Eligibility Criteria. Only proposals meeting those requirements are taken forward for technical evaluation. The technical proposal is then evaluated against the 100-mark criteria.

The bidder achieving the highest technical score is ranked first, subject to the Evaluation Committee's recommendation and approval by the competent authority.

Where two or more bidders obtain the same highest technical score, the RFP states that selection will be determined based on financial capacity.

Assignment Duration and Service-Level Timelines

The overall assignment duration is 2.5 years from the date of issuance of the Notice to Proceed. NSDC will review Training Partner performance at the end of each quarter.

The Terms of Reference establish several operational deadlines:

Document Checklist for Bidders

The RFP's prescribed bidder checklist provides the core documentation requirements.

Mandatory Document Checklist

1. ☐ Certificate of Registration / Incorporation
2. ☐ GST Registration Certificate
3. ☐ PAN Card
4. ☐ CA Certificate with UDIN
5. ☐ Audited Balance Sheet / Financial Statements
6. ☐ Turnover statement
7. ☐ Documents supporting eligibility criteria under Section II
8. ☐ Documents supporting technical evaluation under Section III
9. ☐ NSDC Empanelment Letter / MoU / Agreement, where applicable
10. ☐ SIDH / Government Portal evidence of minimum 1,000 certified candidates, where applicable
11. ☐ Government Department work orders / contracts / MoUs
12. ☐ Completion certificates for relevant assignments
13. ☐ Evidence of minimum 25,000 participants trained in the previous three years
14. ☐ Past-performance evidence
15. ☐ Geographical experience evidence
16. ☐ Non-Blacklisting / Non-Debarment / Non-Suspension declaration
17. ☐ Declaration on ₹100 stamp paper duly notarised, where prescribed
18. ☐ Board Resolution
19. ☐ Power of Attorney in favour of authorised signatory
20. ☐ Terms of Reference / Scope of Work compliance undertaking
21. ☐ Conflict of Interest Declaration
22. ☐ Technical Proposal Submission Form
23. ☐ Bidder Information Form
24. ☐ Bidder Past Experience Form
25. ☐ CVs of minimum 10 proposed trainers
26. ☐ ToT certificates for proposed trainers
27. ☐ Technical presentation of 10–15 slides
28. ☐ Financial Proposal in the prescribed format
29. ☐ Any additional document required under the ITB/RFP/corrigendum

The RFP also requires the Technical Proposal to be submitted in the prescribed format and expressly states that deficiencies in requested information/documents may lead to rejection.

Important Compliance Points for Prospective Bidders

No Conditional Proposal

Bidders must submit proposals strictly according to the RFP without deviations. Conditional proposals are liable to summary rejection.

Only One Proposal

A bidder may submit only one proposal. Participation in more than one proposal can result in disqualification.

Technical and Financial Separation

The Technical Proposal must not contain financial bid information. A Technical Proposal containing financial information can be declared non-responsive.

No Subcontracting

The ITB states that the bidder shall not subcontract the whole or any part of the services awarded under the RFP.

Proposal Validity

The proposal must remain valid for 180 days after the proposal submission deadline.

Digital Signature and Portal Registration

A Class III Digital Signature Certificate with signing and encryption components is mandatory for participation on the NSDC e-Tendering Portal. Registration on the portal is also mandatory.

Tender Expert's Analysis

From a bidder-readiness perspective, this is a high-compliance, experience-driven Training Partner RFP. The ₹5 crore average annual turnover is only the basic financial eligibility threshold; additional technical marks are available to bidders with substantially higher turnover.

The most significant differentiators are likely to be:

1. Government skill-development experience
2. 25,000+ government-trained participants
3. Past performance involving large training programmes
4. Availability of at least 10 qualified ToT-certified trainers
5. Geographical implementation experience
6. Specific Meghalaya experience
7. A strong 10–15 slide technical presentation
8. A credible mobilisation and candidate-outreach strategy
9. Strong documentation, portal management and monitoring systems

The Approach & Methodology component alone carries 40 marks, making it the single largest technical scoring area. Therefore, an otherwise eligible bidder should not treat the technical proposal as a documentary compliance exercise alone. The implementation methodology should clearly demonstrate how the bidder will mobilise registered BOCW beneficiaries, conduct screening and counselling, deliver RPL/bridge training, coordinate assessment and certification, manage evidence, and maintain reporting and audit compliance.

Key RFP Issues Bidders Should Verify

There are a few points that deserve attention before bid submission:

1. Pre-Bid Meeting Date Not Stated

The RFP refers to a Pre-Proposal Meeting but the available Important Dates table does not provide its date/time. Bidders should verify the NSDC e-Procurement portal or subsequent corrigendum.

2. Bid Opening Date Not Stated

The RFP explains that the technical proposal will be opened first and subsequently evaluated, but no specific calendar opening date/time is stated in the Important Dates information reviewed.

3. Tender Fee and EMD Not Stated

No tender fee or EMD amount/mode is identified in the RFP text reviewed. This should be verified on the live e-Procurement tender record before submission.

4. Financial-Year Inconsistency

The eligibility section specifies FY 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26, while the Bidder Information Form reproduced later in the document lists annual turnover for 2024-25, 2023-24 and 2022-23. This is a material drafting inconsistency and bidders should rely on an official NSDC clarification/corrigendum rather than making an assumption.

5. Trainer Experience Wording

The trainer criterion contains the wording “minimum of five (3) years”, while the scoring criteria use 3–5 years and above 5 years. This should likewise be verified through an official clarification if relevant to the bidder's qualification.

Conclusion

The NSDC RFP/NSDC/TP/2026/71 represents an opportunity for established Training Partners to participate in the implementation of an RPL and upskilling programme for registered BOCW beneficiaries in Meghalaya.

The tender has a strong emphasis on government training experience, financial capacity, participant mobilisation, trainer strength, geographical coverage, technical methodology and evidence-based project management. The minimum eligibility threshold includes ₹5 crore average annual turnover, positive net worth, three years of relevant government training experience and at least 25,000 participants trained in the previous three years.

The bid submission deadline is 16 September 2026 at 18:00 hrs, with online submission through the NSDC e-Procurement Portal. Bidders should also monitor the portal for corrigenda or clarifications, particularly regarding the Pre-Proposal Meeting, bid opening schedule, tender fee/EMD provisions and the drafting inconsistencies identified above. The RFP specifically advises bidders to regularly check the NSDC tender platforms for updates.

Consultation & Advisory

For tender consultation and advisory, please call or WhatsApp: 9630030343
Email: support@skillcouncils.com