Understanding GeM Portal Bidding & Quotation System for Sellers

E-Bidding is an online procurement method that buyers and sellers use on the GeM Portal. Bidding works on competitive price offers. If you purchase a product in a regular market, you would select a seller directly. However, things work differently on GeM. On this portal, the buyer publishes a bid with clearly defined requirements such as quantity, technical specifications, delivery timelines, and service conditions.

Once the bid is live, sellers who meet the requirements of the bid can participate and submit the price at which they are willing to supply the goods or services.

At the end of the bidding period, all submitted GeM quotes are evaluated. The seller offering the lowest price while meeting the required specifications is typically selected and awarded the order. For procurements valued above ₹5 lakh, buyers are required to use either e-Bidding or the Reverse Auction (RA) feature on GeM. That said, buyers are free to use these competitive tools even for purchases below ₹5 lakh if they wish to.

Here is a step-by-step guide to help you file a tender on the GeM Portal:

Step 1: Log In and Browse Available Bids

Log in to the GeM portal using your seller credentials. From the top menu, go to the “Bids” section and select “List of Bids.” This will take you to a dashboard displaying all available bids and reverse auctions.
Use the filters on the dashboard to narrow down bids as per your requirements.

Step 2: Review the Bid Details Carefully

Click on the Bid Number shown at the top of each listing to open and download the bid document. This document contains important details such as buyer information, bid timelines, item description, validity period, quantity required, and more.

You can also review the technical specifications by clicking the link provided for category specifications.

Step 3: Choose Schedules and Confirm Participation

Go back to the bid page and click on “Participate” if you want to bid for the order. The default option will be auto-selected. However, if multiple schedules are available, you can choose the schedules you wish to apply for. Save your selected schedules to proceed.

Step 4: Enter Product and Pricing Details

Provide product-related information such as make, model, and Harmonised System of Nomenclature (HSN) code in the respective catalogue fields. After saving these details, move to the pricing section.

Enter your quoted price per unit, inclusive of applicable taxes, for each selected schedule. The portal will automatically calculate and display the total quoted value. Once done, encrypt and save the price to move ahead.

Step 5: Upload Required Documents

Upload all supporting documents as requested in the bid. This may include financial statements, product specifications, past performance records, experience-related invoices, compliance documents, and more.
You will also need to indicate whether you are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and whether your product complies with Make in India norms.

Step 6: Review Earnest Money Deposit (EMD), Terms, and Final Submission

Complete the EMD or Electronic Performance Bank Guarantee (ePBG) section if applicable and save the details.
Before submitting, open the bid participation draft document to verify that all information and documents have been uploaded correctly. Finally, authenticate and submit the bid using a One-Time Password (OTP), eSign, or a digital signature certificate.

Anyone can browse ongoing bids and reverse auctions on the GeM Portal, even without registration. That said, registering on GeM is strongly recommended if you plan to participate in a bid.

Once you are ready, you can use the steps given below to find tenders on the GeM Portal:

Step 1: Visit the Official GeM Website

Visit GeM and log in to your account, using your login credentials.

Step 2: Navigate to the Bids Section

On the homepage, go to the top menu and click on the “Bids” option. From the dropdown menu, select “List of Bids.”

This will open the bid listing page in a new tab, displaying all available tenders and reverse auctions currently hosted on GeM.

Step 3: Use Filters to Narrow Down Relevant Tenders

The bid listing page offers multiple filters to help you narrow down your search results. Some filter options include product bids, service bids, Bill of Quantities (BOQ) -based bids, and reverse auctions. There is also a separate filter for high-value tenders, typically those with an estimated value of ₹2 crore or more.

You can further refine results by selecting a bid end date range, and arrange tenders by start date or end date, either newest first or oldest first.

A keyword search box is also available. Here, you can search using details such as bid number, department or ministry name, product category, BOQ title, or consignee location. You can choose between an exact keyword match or a broader search that looks for keywords anywhere in the bid details.

Step 4: Use the Advanced Search Option

For a more targeted search, GeM provides an Advanced Search feature, which works specifically for active or ongoing bids. This option allows you to search tenders using more precise criteria.

You can search using bid or reverse auction details if you already know the bid number. Another option is to look for tenders issued by a specific ministry, state, or organisation. If location matters, you can filter bids based on consignee state and city.

There is also a dedicated option to search using the BOQ title. Since the BOQ document outlines item-wise pricing requirements, this method is particularly useful if you regularly bid for similar products or services.

Step 5: Register to Apply and Receive Alerts

Once you find tenders that match your business requirements, you need to proceed with registration. Keep in mind that you need to create a seller account on GeM to apply for bids, participate in reverse auctions, and receive notifications when new tenders relevant to your profile are published.

Here are the steps on how to quote in the GeM Portal:

Step 1: Locate the Right Tender

Log in to your GeM account and navigate to the Bids or Reverse Auction (RA) section. Use filters such as category, keyword, buyer name, state, bid value, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) or startup preference, and closing date to shortlist relevant tenders.

Open the tender page and download all attached documents. It is important to make a note of the Bid or RA number, closing date and time, EMD or performance security requirements, consignee locations, and buyer-added additional terms and conditions.

Step 2: Decode Tender Requirements

Review the technical specifications carefully and confirm whether your product or service is an exact match.
Check if the tender allows “equal to or better.” If it does, you need to identify the parameters where your offering exceeds the requirement.

Additionally, check eligibility conditions such as OEM or reseller criteria, experience requirements, turnover thresholds, and mandatory certifications. Review commercial conditions, including delivery schedule, quantity breakup, penalties, warranty terms, and other requirements.

Based on this review, you can make a decision to go ahead or not. If you choose to proceed with the bid, you would have to prepare a simple internal checklist covering pricing, delivery period, specifications, validity, and document uploads.

Step 3: Prepare the Technical Offer

The technical bid requires you to confirm compliance for each parameter listed on the GeM.
For goods, you will enter the brand, model, manufacturer name, HSN code if asked, and country of origin.
Each specification field must be marked “Yes” only if you meet or exceed the requirement. Where a remarks field is available, always mention exact numerical values instead of generic statements.

You also need to upload a single datasheet PDF highlighting the relevant specifications.
For service tenders, you need to map service levels, manpower details, locations, response timelines, and work plans, as required.

Step 4: Prepare the Commercial Offer

Commercial quotes on GeM are generally per unit and inclusive of all costs unless the tender allows separate line items. Enter the unit price, applicable tax structure if prompted, delivery period, warranty duration, and offer validity exactly as per tender conditions.

Confirm installation or turnkey scope where applicable. Freight and insurance are usually assumed to be included unless specified otherwise.

Step 5: Upload Mandatory Documents Correctly

Upload buyer-added annexures only in the designated Additional Terms and Conditions (ATC) sections and avoid mixing them with datasheets or certificates.

Another thing to note is that you need to make sure that all the files have a clear name format, such as:

BidNumber_DocumentType_CompanyName.

Also, ensure all scans are readable.

Step 6: ATC and Declarations

Read each buyer-added condition carefully before accepting. These can include clauses on warranty obligations, payment terms, training, and jurisdiction. If any condition laid down by the buyer is unacceptable to you, it is better to raise a clarification during the pre-bid stage or avoid submitting the bid altogether. Accepting such a bid can lead to hassles later.

Step 7: Final Review

Before submitting, double-check brand and model names, pricing inclusions, technical compliance selections, delivery timelines, and document uploads.
If there are any system warnings related to missing or incorrect files, make sure you resolve them at this step.

Step 8: Sign and Submit the Bid

Submit the bid using Aadhaar eSign or Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) as prompted. After successful submission, download and save the bid acknowledgement for reference. You can usually edit or withdraw the bid until the closing time.

**Step 9: Track Status and Participate in RA **

You can keep track of your bid status directly from the GeM dashboard. It is important to check this section regularly and respond quickly if the buyer raises any clarification requests.

In case of RA, make sure you log in well before the start time. You must also decide your minimum acceptable price in advance and stick to it.

Step 10: Post-Bid Actions

If you are selected as L1, you would have to prepare for execution by confirming consignee details, arranging stock or service teams, and submitting performance security if required.

Understanding the GeM Portal quotation and bidding process is important for both buyers and sellers, but more so for sellers. As long as the process is clear, you can easily use the platform. For sellers in particular, a good grasp of bidding and quotation rules is essential to quote correctly and improve their chances of winning orders.

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