India: RINL issues buy tender for 90,000 t of blast furnace coke

• RINL seeks 90,000 t BF coke via GeM with reverse auction
  
  
• Tight technical and eligibility norms to ensure quality supply
  
  

Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), operating the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant under the Ministry of Steel, has invited bids for the supply of 90,000 tonnes (t) of blast furnace (BF) coke.

The tender, issued through the government's e-Marketplace (GeM) platform under Bid No. GEM/2026/B/7439676 dated 13 April 2026, is scheduled to close on 20 April at 18:00 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) against the total requirement of 90,000 t.

Prior to this, the company had floated tenders for the purchase of domestic and imported coke.

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 63 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 216,000 t per year of BF coke
  
  
• Experience: Proven supply of at least 36,000 t during the last five years (2021-22 to 2025-26)
  
  
• Financial strength: Average annual turnover of at least INR 96 crore during FY'24, FY'25, and FY'26
  
  
• 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: 30 days from bid closing date
  
  
• Performance bank guarantee: 5% of contract value, valid for four 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 assessments -

The coke should have a guaranteed specification of -

• Min 64 CSR
  
  
• With 5% max moisture
  
  
• Max 12.5% ash
  
  
• Mean size of 50mm
  
  

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

Domestic met coke price scenario

According to BigMint's assessment, BF-grade coke (25-90 mm) prices in eastern India were reported stable w-o-w at INR 36,400/t ex-Jajpur, while prices in western India were also stable at INR 33,500/t ex-Gandhidham. In the foundry segment, +90 mm foundry-grade coke prices were at INR 36,400/t ex-Rajkot, unchanged w-o-w.

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.