January 2, 2024

Government E-Marketplace or GeM is a portal to facilitate online procurement of goods and services required by various government departments, organizations and public sector undertakings in India. The Government E-Marketplace has been introduced to enhance transparency in government purchases, improve efficiency and speedup procurement. In this article, we look at the process for registering as a seller on the Government E-Marketplace. Government E-Marketplace Overview Government E-Marketplace was created based on the recommendations of Group of Secretaries made to Hon’ble Prime Minister. Currently, the Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals along with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) under Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) has created and piloted the Government E-Marketplace. In the first stage, the pilot project for GeM is opened for Central Government Departments and CPSUs located in Delhi / NCR. Based on the learnings, the portal will be rolled-out to other parts of the country. Further, after comprehensive study through a consultant followed by engaging a Managed Service Provider (MSP), a full-fledged version of GeM is likely to be positioned by March, 2017. Purchases through GeM by Government users has already been authorized by Ministry of Finance by adding a new Rule No. 141-A in the General Financial Rules, 2005. The process of registering on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) platform is known as GeM registration. To facilitate procurement of goods and services by various government departments and organizations GeM an online platform launched by the Indian Government. To enable businesses to participate in government tenders and sell their products and services to the government is the purpose of GeM registration. Businesses can showcase their products and services to government buyers, participate in e-bidding and reverse auction processes and receive online orders and payments by registering on GeM. As a result, enterprises may have easier access to the market and have a better chance of landing government contracts. Additionally, GeM registration supports the government’s goal of promoting digital India and ease of doing business and aids in the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and openness of government procurement procedures. Products & Services Sold on Government E-Marketplace Currently, the following products and services are sold on the Government E-Marketplace: Computers Desktop Laptops Tablets Computer Accessories like Mouse, Keyboards, External Hard Disk Drives, RAM, Pen Drive, Power Bank. Office Equipment Photocopiers Printers Pass Book Smart card Bar Code Scanners Scanners Cartridges  Paper A4 (210mm X 297mm) Note Sheets Note Books Air Conditioner Multi Media Projectors UPS (Line Interactive and on-line) Packaged drinking water In addition to the above products, services like transportation services are also being currently tested on the Government E-Marketplace. Selling to the Government Authorised representatives of Central Government Departments, State Government Department, Public Sector Undertakings and Autonomous bodies can purchase through the Government E-Marketplace or GeM. The Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals has authorised officers of the rank of Joint Secretary and equivalent for purchasing through GeM. Further, authorised officers can further authorise other officers of their Department to purchase on the Government Marketplace portal. For a Government officer to be registered as a buyer on the Government E-Marketplace, the following details are required: AADHAR Number Mobile number Official or NIC email Class 3 Signature Certificate Authorisation of competent authority of their Department Purchasing Powers of Government Officers Any authorised officer making a purchase of upto Rs. 50000/- can purchase a product through any of the available suppliers on the GeM, meeting the requisite quality, specification and delivery period. In case of purchase above Rs.50,000, the Government office must choose the supplier having lowest price amongst the available suppliers on the GeM, meeting the requisite quality, specification and delivery period. GeM has also provided tools for online bidding and online reverse auction which can be used by the purchaser. Seller Registration Any sellers who manufacturers or markets genuine products or delivers services can become a seller on the Government E-Marketplace. Sellers on the Government E-Marketplace must have the following documents to be registered: PAN CARD Udyog Adhaar or Company Registration or LLP Registration VAT/TIN Number (if applicable) Bank Account & supporting KYC documents Identity proof Address proof Cancelled cheque copy Follow these steps to register as a seller on GeM (Government e-Marketplace): Go to https://gem.gov.in to access the GeM portal. On the homepage’s upper right corner, click the “Sign Up” button. From the drop-down menu, choose “Seller.” Click “Verify” after entering the necessary information, including your name, email address, and mobile number. Complete the remaining fields, such as firm name, PAN card number, and GST number, when your mobile number has been verified. Create a username and password for your account at that point. To complete your registration, click “Submit.” Procedure for Registration To become a seller on the Government E-Marketplace, register your business through one of the following links: Manufactures or traders can register here Service providers can register here The process for registration is simple and once registered, a GeM user id and password is provided to access the seller account. Through the seller account, the seller or service provider can list the products or services offered by them along with the pricing. The seller is free to set the price of the product as per his/her costing. But its important to include in the final price, the cost for logistics, packing & taxes, duties etc. along with a suitable margin to arrive at the Selling Price on all inclusive basis, indicating percentage of Excise Duty, Service Tax & CST/VAT as applicable, with delivery at site basis. Order Management- After completing seller registration and listing, the seller will start receiving orders through the seller dashboard. Wherever a customer places an order, GeM will send you an e-mail alert and orders can be managed through the GeM portal itself. After receiving the order, its the sellers responsibility to pack the item and deliver it to the buyer on-time. It is the seller’s responsibility to deliver the products safely to the consignee. Payment Settlement- Payment for the goods or services purchase through the Government E-Marketplace will be made directly to the sellers bank account through online banking within 10 days after receipt and acceptance of the goods or services or after expiry of 10 days time prescribed for return policy. Advantages of Selling on the