Before 2016, government procurement was scattered across different online portals, newspapers and press releases. For a country and government of such a large scale, a single online portal for government procurement was essential. The central government thus released the GeM (Government E Marketplace) portal to increase transparency, speed and efficiency in public procurement. Both buyers and sellers use this portal to buy and sell goods and services.
The major categories on GeM include but are not limited to oxygen gas and accessories, medical equipment, fire safety, furniture, computers, catering, security manpower, cloud, vehicle hiring and HR. Any kind of business can register themselves on GeM to sell. The GeM seller registration process allows them to enroll themselves on the GeM portal to participate in different kinds of procurement opportunities.
GeM seller registration fee is nominal and a great investment even for lean startups. All state and local governments are directed by the central government to procure through this portal. The GeM registration documents are just the basic documents that any business has. GeM has given much-needed transparency, reduced red-tapism and centralized the procurement process so that all businesses could benefit from government spending. Let us understand the onboarding process and its nuances on the GeM portal in detail.
How to Register on the Government E-Marketplace (GeM) Portal as a Seller?
It has an easy 3-step process. The seller just has to:
1. Choose a business type from the dropdown options, and then check for the prerequisite documents.
2. Read and accept the terms and conditions.
3. Enter details like organization name, personal verification and user credentials.
Once the GeM seller registration is complete, you will be redirected to the seller profile, where you can complete your profile.
How to Access the GeM Registration Portal?
If you search for “GeM” on Google, one of the first results will be the GeM Marketplace web portal, which is meant for buyers looking to procure as well as for sellers. To register as a seller on GeM portal, select the sign-up option from the top right corner then select “service and service provider registration” and register in 3 easy steps. GeM 3.0 is the new redesigned GeM registration portal having renewed focus on ease of access and inclusion.
What Are GeM Registration Documents?
Once the GeM registration portal is open, choose the business/organization type from the dropdown and check the documents needed for GeM seller registration. The GeM registration documents are as follows:
- Personal Aadhaar
- PAN, Email ID
- Mobile Number
- PAN of your business which should be the same as Income Tax records ( Same as personal in case of sole proprietor )
- Date of Incorporation or Registration of Business
- Company Information number (CIN, only in case of public/private company)
- Income Tax returns of the last 3 years
- Complete Office Address
- Bank Account number and IFSC Code
GeM seller registration is also open for startups, provided they give an additional GeM registration document called DIPP Number issued by DPIIT. MSME needs to provide a Udyam registration number.
What is the GeM Seller Registration Fee?
One time payment is required for the GeM seller registration fee. It varies from business to business. Here is a quick overview, in case you are not sure which category your business falls in.
If your business’s total investment is less than ₹1 crore and turnover is less than ₹5 crore, it is considered as a Micro enterprise. If your business’s total investment is within ₹50 crore and turnover is below ₹250 crore, it comes under the Medium enterprise classification. Anything above the threshold of a medium enterprise is understood as a Large enterprise.
There is no fee for government organizations and public sector undertakings. The GeM seller registration fee depends on the type of business and annual turnover. It is as follows:
For sellers with annual turnovers:
- Less than ₹1 Crore: ₹5000
- Between ₹1 Crore and ₹10 Crore: ₹10,000
- More than ₹10 Crore: ₹25,000
For vendor assessment:
- Upto ₹20 Lakhs: ₹871.61
- ₹20 Lakhs to ₹1 Crore: ₹1743.22
- More than ₹1 Crore: ₹3486.44
For the total GeM seller registration fee required to be paid, refer to the payment page of the GeM seller registration portal. You may find on various other online resources, the GeM seller registration fee may be mentioned as caution money.
After submitting the documents and paying the fees, the seller needs to pass the vendor assessment. It is a process in which your documents and the company are tested for authenticity and due diligence. Once it’s done. You’ll receive an approval on your registered email and your profile on GeM portal. From this point, you can start listing and selling your products.
Need Help in GeM Seller Registration?
The government has made it accessible for sellers/resellers to register themselves. Having said that, the GeM seller registration may be a cumbersome process for some.
Bidassist not only gives you real-time notification of the relevant opportunities floated on GeM on a daily basis, it also has a team to support you with any GeM related queries including GeM seller registration. It is highly recommended to have all the required documents handy before registering online on the GeM portal.
Benefits of GeM Seller Registration
Most top businesses in developing countries have greatly benefited from government procurements. The government is the largest spender in any country. The various hurdles in working with the government are getting resolved with the help of digital technology.
The documents required for GeM registration are minimal, thereby significantly enhancing the ease of doing business. The GeM seller registration is completely online. The GeM portal gives you access to a larger market and makes the bidding and payment process straightforward. It is a great opportunity to grow your business and earn substantial revenue from government procurements.