Complete Guide to Registering on GeM Portal as a Buyer

The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal is a unified portal built by the Government of India for local, state and central government bodies to procure products and services from the market. Buyers can use this portal to place tenders, directly connect with sellers and get the best value for taxpayers’ funds.

The GeM provides a transparent and user-friendly platform that simplifies government procurement. The portal promotes transparency and fairness in how the government functions while bypassing complex bureaucracy.

Various government bodies and agencies can set up an authorised buyer profile on the GeM platform to buy goods and services. The following entities can register as a buyer:

• All central and state ministries and departments

• Any departments attached to the central and state governments

• PSUs (public sector undertakings)

• Central and state autonomous bodies

• All constitutional and statutory bodies in India

• Local bodies (Panchayat, municipalities or municipal corporations)

• Only the following persons are allowed to register in the GeM portal on the behalf of government bodies:

• Head of the office of the subcentre or unit of a government body

• An authorised officer with the rank of Deputy Secretary or a higher designation

• Director or equivalent officer

As mentioned above, only certain authorised personnel can register their organisation as a primary user or HoD (head of department). If you are an authorised person, the following steps on how to register at the GeM portal is for you:

Sign up and Know the Prerequisites

Step 1: Open your system’s internet browser and go to the official GeM portal. Then, click on ‘Sign Up’ > ‘Buyer Organisation’ to start registering.

Step 2: If you meet the prerequisites, select the user type- primary holder or primary holder (cooperation) and tick the requirements (Aadhaar, phone number and email ID).

Step 3: Click on ‘Proceed’ to continue.

Enter Your Organisation Details

Step 4: Read through the terms and conditions of the Government e-Marketplace and click the ‘Agree’ checkbox.

Step 5: Enter your relevant organisation details, including organisation type, ministry, department and zone/branch and click on ‘Proceed’.

Complete the Personal Verification

Step 6: Enter your Aadhaar number and Aadhaar-linked mobile number and complete the OTP (one-time password) verification. Your first and last name will get auto-populated, but you may need to enter the GSTIN (GST identification number).

Step 7: Enter your government-issued email address and verify your email ID via OTP. Next, create a password and a user name.

Update Your Buyer’s Profile

Step 8: Fill in the details of your organisation, including its address, office number, website URL, etc.

Step 9: Enter the details of your payment method based on the organisation type and preference. Then, enter the payment details (PFMS code, IFSC code) and verify your personal information.

Step 10: Verify authority details in the next step with the verifying authority’s email ID. An email will be sent to the competent authority of the ministry/department.

Add Secondary Users

Step 11: As a primary user, you need to add the names of secondary users who are the junior/subordinate members of your organisation. Enter the division information, including division name, address and GSIN (if required).

Step 12: Click on ‘Add Secondary User’ to add each additional user individually by entering their user details (name, role, email ID) and designation within your organisation.

These secondary users need to click on the invitation link and verify their identity using their Aadhaar number and Aadhaar-linked mobile number. They also need to add their personal and organisational details in a similar way as given above.

Keep the following documents at hand while registering on the GeM portal:

• Aadhaar card of the authorised person

• Organisation’s PAN card

• GST certificate (for GSTIN)

• Official department ID and email address

• Department’s address proof (electricity or landline bill)

• Bank account details of the department

Here are some important details you should know before registering a buyer’s account on the GeM portal:

Mandatory Prerequisites: Buyers need to have three things to register as a buyer-

An Aadhaar number (to verify your identity)

An Aadhaar-linked mobile number (for OTP verification)

A designation-based email ID (.gov or .nic email given by the government)

One Person, Different Roles: A single person can fulfil different roles in the GeM portal, provided that they have the authority. An individual can get different roles (buyer, consignee, etc.) assigned if their post (designation) allows it.

Organisational Hierarchy: Hierarchy in the GeM portal reflects the hierarchy of the organisation. Only people with certain posts or designations can get certain GeM buyer roles.

Transfer of Users: Only primary users can transfer secondary users on the GeM platform. They must remove retired and ex-employees and add new secondary users. Outgoing primary users need to remove their names and invite new primary users.

After successful registration, check the following steps on how to use the GeM portal as a buyer:

Step 1: Click on ‘Login’ on the GeM portal and enter your login ID and password. Then, enter the captcha code and click on ‘Submit’.

Step 2: On the homepage, type the product in the search bar or click on ‘Browse’ to go through products in various categories. Note that only registered buyers can make a purchase.

Step 3: From the list of products, make a choice and click on it to view specifications/product descriptions. Then, click on ‘Buy Now’ and select the order quantities, state of dispatch and delivery location.

Step 4: For bulk orders (minimum order quantity 50,000), you must compare your chosen item with multiple alternatives. Click on the ‘Comparison’ checkbox to add items and select ‘Start Comparison’.

Step 5: If the product you’ve chosen is an L1 item (lowest bid price), you can opt for a Direct Purchase. To proceed, review the order and click on ‘ Continue’ to generate a ‘Demand’.

Step 6: After generating a ‘Demand’, enter the payment details and click on ‘Block’ to block the purchase amount in the organisation account.

Step 7: Click on ‘Choose File’ and upload a Finance Approval document containing transaction details. Click on ‘Continue’ and ‘Verify’ to finalise the order.

Step 8: Post delivery of items, log in as the consignee and go to ‘Product Orders’ > ‘All Orders’. Then, click on ‘Process Order’ to generate a provisional receipt certificate (PRC) within 48 hours of receiving the products.

Step 9: Enter the received product quantity, delivery date, reason for rejection (if applicable), and other details to confirm a successful delivery. Finally, sign the Consignee Receipt and Acceptance Certificate (CRAC) within 10 days of receipt of items.

Step 10: Send the invoice for processing by the paying authority (PAO or DDO). The concerned official must log in and complete the payment within 2 days of CRAC generation by the consignee.

The following are some benefits of signing up as a buyer on the GeM portal:

Efficient Pricing: A large number of sellers participate in the bidding process, which allows government buyers to find the best possible price and value.

Easy Online Comparison: The GeM portal makes it easy to add multiple products for easy comparison. Buyers can compare the specifications of multiple products in one comparison window.

Effective in User Identification: The GeM portal employs a highly effective buyer identification and management system that is trustworthy and credible.

Easy to Correct Mistakes: Mistakes made by a few users don't affect other users on the platform. Any mistakes can be easily corrected by many authorised personnel.

Advanced Tracking: Buyers can track delivery timing, invoices and payment status on the GeM portal.

Buyers on the GeM portal can be registered into different categories based on their roles and responsibilities. This includes:

• Competent Authority

The head of the organisation is designated as the competent authority by default. Only the Secretary of the Government of India, Principal Secretary of any state government, and MD/CEO/CMD/DG/director/principal secretary of various government institutions can be the competent authority.

The competent authority’s main role is to designate the verifying authority in charge of primary users.

• Verifying Authority

The person in charge of verifying the identity and account creation of primary users on the GeM portal. They must be an Under Secretary or above and nominated by the competent authority.

• Primary User

The primary user is a representative of a government organisation responsible for all secondary users on the GeM portal. Only a Deputy Secretary or a Head of Office can become a primary user. Primary users cannot place purchase orders on the GeM portal.

Here are their roles:

• Creating a buyer account for the organisation

• Adding secondary users

• Approving purchase orders

• Monitoring all activities of secondary users

Secondary User

Secondary users are junior employees assigned by the primary user to carry out specific activities on the GeM portal. Any officer of the rank of Section Officer or above can become a secondary user. Here are the different secondary users and their roles:

• Buyer: Selects items for purchase, compares bids and places orders.

• Consignee: Receives the purchased item and generates CRAC and PRC certificates. Rejects shipments, requests refunds and inspects delivered items.

• Paying Authority: The PAO (pay and accounts officer) and DDO (drawing and disbursement officer) make payments against all processed bills to vendors and suppliers.

Avoid the following common mistakes while registering a buyer’s account:

• Mismatch in PAN, Aadhaar and GSTIN details

• Trying to open a primary or secondary account without prior authorisation from the relevant authorities

• Uploading incorrect or outdated documents during the registration process

• Opening an account on personal or company emails

• Forgetting to read through the specifications and contract terms

The GeM portal makes it possible for government agencies and PSUs to directly connect with MSMEs, startups, resellers and suppliers for the best possible bargains. Only authorised officers with prior authorisation from the heads of departments can register as buyers. This detailed guide on how to register on the GeM portal as a buyer gives all the instructions on how to set up an account.

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