Key Tender Details

The first page confirms the publishing date of 24 September 2026 and the last date for submission of proposals as 1 October 2026. The detailed schedule also specifies 1 October 2026 as the last date for clarification/query requests.

Important: The EOI document does not state a pre-bid meeting date/time or a proposal opening date/time. These should therefore not be published as confirmed dates unless subsequently issued through an official corrigendum or portal update.

Scope of Work

The selected/empanelled PIAs will be responsible for implementing DDUGKY 2.0 projects in accordance with the applicable Government of India and Government of Maharashtra guidelines, SOPs, notifications, orders and directions.

The principal scope includes:

1. Mobilization of candidates in assigned districts or blocks.
2. Enrolment of eligible candidates following the prescribed selection process and scheme guidelines.
3. Delivery of skill training through SMART-compliant training centres with the required infrastructure, equipment and faculty.
4. Training aligned with applicable QP-NOS standards.
5. Certification through Sector Skill Councils (SSCs).
6. Facilitating employment with at least the applicable minimum monthly wages of the concerned state.
7. Achieving placement of at least 70% of trained candidates within six months of completion of training.
8. Providing post-placement tracking and handholding support.
9. Operating the relevant modules of the DDUGKY 2.0 website/portal.
10. Timely submission of reports and data on the DDUGKY 2.0 Portal.
11. Compliance with all applicable DDU-GKY 2.0 guidelines, SOPs, notifications and government directions.

The EOI states that the core outcome of the programme is placement through wage employment, self-employment or gig employment, with placements subject to verification before being counted for project and funding purposes.

Pre-Qualification / Eligibility Criteria

The EOI states that eligibility will be governed by the DDUGKY 2.0 Guidelines and SOP, along with subsequent government notifications and directions.

An eligible entity should generally:

• Be registered under applicable legislation such as:
  • Indian Trust Acts;
  • State Society Registration Acts;
  • State Cooperative Societies/Multi-State Cooperative Acts;
  • Companies Act, 2013;
  • Limited Liability Partnerships Act, 2008; or
  • Eligible SHGs and their federations.
• Government or semi-government organisations at State or National level may also qualify.
• NGOs must be registered with the NITI Aayog Darpan Portal.
• The entity should generally be more than three years old at the time of application, except for eligible start-ups.

Category-wise PIA Classification

The category structure and corresponding project conditions are specified on pages 6–7 of the EOI.

Entities Not Eligible

The EOI identifies the following as ineligible:

1. Existing PIAs having sanctioned DDU-GKY projects with recovery proceedings underway.
2. Existing PIAs that were unable to place 50% of trained candidates under DDU-GKY.
3. Skilling agencies whose key managerial personnel were previously associated with defaulting PIAs against which recovery proceedings were initiated.
4. Sister concerns/subsidiaries of organisations against which recovery action for funds has been initiated.
5. Skilling agencies having directors involved in agencies that previously defaulted under DDU-GKY.
6. Government-blacklisted skilling agencies.
7. Consortium applications are not permitted.

Financial & Qualification Requirements

A notable point for prospective applicants is that this EOI does not specify a minimum average annual turnover or minimum net worth figure in the supplied 11-page document.

Financial / Qualification Requirement Table

The EOI's fee section specifically provides for a ₹25,000 plus GST initial screening fee and ₹1,25,000 plus GST quality appraisal fee. It does not prescribe an EMD.

Project Size and Funding

The EOI provides project target and duration parameters by category rather than a conventional tender estimated-cost figure.

These project parameters are set out in the project size and funding table on page 7.

The EOI also states that DDUGKY is a centrally sponsored scheme with a 60% Government of India and 40% State funding availability ratio.

Tender Fee / Application Fee

Although the document is an Expression of Interest rather than a conventional price tender, applicants are required to pay the following fees:

1. Initial Screening Fee

₹25,000 + GST

The fee is stated as non-refundable.

2. Quality Appraisal Fee

₹1,25,000 + GST

This fee is payable at the time of application submission.

3. Total

₹1,50,000 + applicable GST

Applications without payment or with insufficient appraisal fees may be rejected.

Bank Details Mentioned in the EOI

Account Name: COO DEEN DAYAL UPADHYAYA GRAMIN KAUSHALYA YOJANA
Account No.: 60449263418
Bank & Branch: Bank of Maharashtra, Mantralaya Mumbai
IFSC: MAHB0001388

The EOI states that fees deposited into an account other than the specified account will not be considered valid.

EMD Details

EMD / Earnest Money Deposit: Not prescribed in the supplied EOI.

Accordingly:

1. EMD Amount: Not specified
2. EMD Mode: Not specified
3. EMD Exemption: Not specified
4. EMD requirement: No EMD provision has been identified in the supplied document

This should be distinguished from the mandatory Initial Screening Fee and Quality Appraisal Fee, which are expressly mentioned in Section 6.5.

Submission Guidelines

Applications are required to be submitted through the Kaushal Rural Portal only.

The EOI expressly states that submission through email or physical copy will not be counted.

Portal

https://kaushal.rural.gov.in/#/eoi

Interested PIAs must have a valid and active Permanent Registration Number (PRN) issued by the Ministry of Rural Development under DDUGKY 2.0. The EOI specifically notes that a PRN issued under DDUGKY 1.0 is not valid for DDUGKY 2.0.

Document Upload Requirements

All uploaded documents should:

1. Be clear and legible.
2. Be signed and stamped by authorised signatories.
3. Preferably be original scans rather than photocopies.
4. Comply with the prescribed file-size limits.
5. Follow standard templates prescribed under DDUGKY 2.0 Guidelines, SOP and notifications.
6. Follow the prescribed formats for financial, legal and statutory documents.

Document Checklist for Applicants

The supplied EOI does not provide a single consolidated document checklist. However, based on the explicit submission requirements and eligibility provisions in the document, applicants should prepare the following checklist, subject to the detailed DDUGKY 2.0 Guidelines/SOP and portal requirements:

The EOI requires applicants to upload relevant documents for both initial screening and qualitative appraisal at the time of submission.

Appraisal and Selection Process

The appraisal process is to be conducted by the PAA – Project Appraisal Agency.

The EOI describes the broad process as:

Online application → Initial screening → Qualitative appraisal → SPAC/PAC consideration → Project approval/rejection → Sanction order and MoU, where approved

Applications meeting the minimum scoring requirements will be considered by the State Project Approval Committee (SPAC), Maharashtra.

The EOI also clarifies that obtaining a PRN and submitting an application does not guarantee project allocation. Following appraisal, the proposal may proceed through presentation and Project Approval Committee stages before sanction and MoU execution.

Important Operational Conditions

Selected PIAs should note several operational requirements contained in the EOI:

1. Minimum operational capacity of 70 candidates/two batches at commencement.
2. The PIA is required to maintain 100% utilisation of this capacity.
3. Staff certification is mandatory before recruitment in accordance with applicable DDUGKY 2.0 requirements.
4. A PIA may propose only one trade and one training centre under a single project.
5. The same organisation may apply for multiple projects where each project is based on a different trade and/or training centre.
6. Target, district and trade allocation remain subject to the relevant approval authority.
7. Canvassing or attempts to influence the selection process can result in disqualification.

Important Dates

Applicants should regularly monitor the official portal for corrigenda, amendments and clarifications because the EOI expressly advises PIAs to monitor the portal for subsequent updates.

Consultation & Advisory

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