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GeM- FAQS
BUYER (GOVT. ORGANIZATION)

1. Who can buy I purchase through GeM?

All Central government and State Government Ministries/ Departments
including its attached/ subordinate offices, Central and State autonomous
bodies, Central and State Public Sector Units and local bodies etc. are
authorized to make procurement through GeM portal.
2. Who is authorized to register as Primary User on GeM?
Authorized officers of the rank of Deputy Secretary/ Equivalent or Head
of the Office at Sub Center I Unit I Branch of Governmen t Organisation I
PSU I Autonomous Bodi es I Local Bodies I Constitution Bodies I Statuary
Bodies can register as Primary User on GeM.
3. How HoD/Primary user can register on GeM?
HoD/ primary user is required to fill Online registration form after clicking
the fonowing link to get registered on GeM
portal .https: / / gem .gov. in/ registerj or'g/signup.
4. Is there a difference between HoD and Primary User?
No. Both are the same. They are just separ,ate nomenclatures. The
HoD/Primary User is a representative of Buyer b rgan ization . HoD is not
to be confused with Head of Department in Government parlance. HoD I
Primary user registration is meant for registration of that organization on
GeM portal and for creation of roles and monitoring of activities of all
secondary users of that organization.
5. What are the Requirements t~ utilize the GeM portal?
For Using GeM portal first a Primary User needs to register on GeM
portal. Requirement of Registration on GeM are as follows:
Aadhaar linked with mobile no. (To receive OTP fore-sign) :
Official Email ID ( Preferably .nic.in OR .gov.in Email):
6. Is Aadhaar number mandatory for registration on GeM?
Yes, Aadhaar No. is a must for using GeM for primary and secondary
users. All online documents in GeM are e-signed through an OTP
received on mobile n<p. linked with Aadhaar.
7. Do GeM portals fetch/ use any personal detail from
Aadhaar database? ·
Aadhar details collected by GeM are solely for user verification and to
apply e- sig ning on ~he documents. The e-sign is at par with digital
signatures as per Information Technology Act Amendment 2008 and it
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works based on details available in Aadhar databas~ of UIDAI and there \~

is no interference I intrusion in their personal detail~.
8. Can Gmaii/Yahoo/Rediff etc. 1 pers~ nal email ids be
used for registration on GeM? ' \
No, only official email id provided by goverbment organizations
can be used for registering on GeM
9. Is Biometric attendance I D mandatory for using
GeM?
No, Biometric attendance ID is not mandatory for using GeM.
Applicant can fill their office ID/employee ID in the field of
Biometric attendance ID in case they are not having BAS
10. Who can be Verifying/authenticating officer?
Any officer from administration of the organization who is
authorized to verify the details of primary user can be the
Verifying/authenticating officer. He must be at the level of Under
Secretary/ Equivalent or above.
11. What is the Ro le of HoD/Primary user in GeM?
Role of HoD/Primary User in GeM is to create Secondary users for
his organization i.e. Buyer, consignee, DDO/ Paying Authority. He
can add secondary users after clicking on Manage Users tab after
logging in the GeM portal. HoD/Primary User cannot perform
Buying functions on the portal
12. How Secondary user will get user ID and password?
Once the Primary user has added the secondary user, User ID and
password of Secondary user will be sent to the secondary user's
Email ID and mobile number respectively.
13. Can HoD f Primary user make some purchase on
GeM?
No, HoD/ Primary user cannot make any purchase activity on GeM.
He can only authori ze other offi cers as Secondary users who in
turn can make procurement fo r their organization. He can see the
various purchase activities being made by Secondary users.
14. Who can be Secondary user?
Any officer of the organization can be made Secondary user.
Secondary user should not be below the rank of Section Officer.
15. What are the roles played by Secondary users?
Four types of roles are performed by Secondary users in GeM
portal.
Buyer: Buyer will select the item for purchase and will place the
order on behalf of his organization.
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Consignee: Consignee will receive the item and will generate the •·. ,

PRC and CRAC certificate.

• DDO (only for PFMS payment mode users): DDO will forward the
bill to PAO of PFMS.
• (NOTE:-ln case of PFMS payment method, there is no role of
Paying Authority I PAO in GeM. PAO from PFMS just needs to login
to PFMS portal to make the payment after the bill has been
forwarded by DDO to PFMS portal. PAO from PFMS can see and
verify on-line the various documents related to the procurement
before making payment.)
• Paying Authority I PAO (for other than PFMS payment mode
users): Paying Authority I PAO will make the payment to
supplier/vendor.
16. How to make purchase on GeM?
Procedure to make purchase on GeM :
1. Login as Primary user/HoD in GeM portal and create secondary
users (Buyer/ Consignee/ PAO/ DDO) after clicking on Manage users
tab available in Dashboard.
2. Buyer to login to GeM portal.
o Select and cart the product as per the requirement through
application of various filters. Buyers should apply filters carefully to
define their requirement without adversely affecting
competitiveness.
0 Select the proper buying method as per the GFR-149.
0 Create demand » Generate Sanction order » Generate contract.
3. Once order is placed, Seller to deliver the Goods/ Services to
consignee within stipulated deliVery date and generate on-line
invoice on GeM portal.
4. Consignee to login after receipt of Items.
Generation of Provisional receipt Certificate (PRC) within 48 hrs of
receipt of stores.
0 Generation of Consignee Receipt and Acceptance Certificate
(CRAC) within 10 days of receipt of stores.
5. Bill processing by buyer (within 2 days of generation of CRAC by
consignee) I
6. » Bill to be for~arded to PFMS by DDO within 1 day of on-line
receipt of bill fr~m Buyer against e-signed Consignee's Receipt and
Acceptance Ce~tificate (CRAC) (In case of central government
organizations p~ying 1through PFMS) » Payment to be made by
PAO from PFM$ within 2 days of receipt of bill from DDO (total
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time limit for payment is 10 days from date of generation of
CRAC).
Or
Buyer to forward al l documents for payment to Payi r g Authority and
Payment to be released by Paying Jl.uthority I PAO within 10 days of
generation of Consignee's Receipt (In case of users paying through SBI
e-pay or Other mode of Payment.
17. What is the difference between role of PAO and DDO?
DDO role is to forward the bills to PFMS, which is finally paid by Paying
Authority of PFMS after logging in PFMS portal. DDO role in GeM is
restricted to the central government users using payment through PFMS.
For users Other than PFMS, Paying Authority I PAO role is to make
payment for the bill processed by Buyer through online banking OR
other methods ·
18. Can all Secondary users role i.e Buyer, Consignee, DDO,
PAO be given to same person?
No, Only Buyer and Consignee role can be given to sarne person .
PAOIDDO role can be given to a person other than Buyer I Consignee
only.
19. Can Primary user and Secondary user role be performed by
same officer?
No, Primary user and Secondary user roles cannot be performed by
sa me officers. Secondary user always needs to be different from Primary
user.
20. Whether the buyer can select products on GeM as per their
choice or are there restrictions?
The procuring authorities will satisfy themselves that the price of the
selected offer is reasonable. GeM may be utilized by Government buyers
(at their option) for direct online purchase. Ensuring Reasonability of
Prices for procurement is the responsibility of the Buyer Organ ization .
21. Goods up to what value can be purchased on GeM?
Please refer Rule 149 of GFR 2017 The GeM porta l shall be utilized by
the Government buyers for direct on-line purchases as under :­
• Up to Rs.SO,OOOI- through any of the available suppliers on the
GeM, meeting the requisite quality, specification and delivery
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period . The procuring authorities will certify the reasonabi lity of

rates.

v • Above Rs .SO,OOO/- and up to Rs.30,00,000/ - through the GeM

Seller having lowest price amongst the available sellers, of at least
three different manufacturers, on GeM, meeting the requisite
quality, specification and delivery period. The tools for online
bidding and online reverse auction available on GeM can be used
by t he Buyer if decided by the competent authority. The procuring
authorities will certify the reasonability of rates .
• Above Rs.30,00,000/- through the suppl ier having lowest price
meeting the requisi te qual ity, specification and delivery period
after mandatori ly obtai ning bids, using online bidding or reverse
auct ion tool provided on GeM. The procuring authori ties will certify
the reasonability of rates.
22. Whether the purchase made on GeM is as per GFR?
Yes, the purchases made on GeM are governed by Rule 149 of GFR
2017.
23. Whether t he prices on GeM for any item are fixed or
dynamic?
The prices on GeM are dynamic. Sellers' can add or remove any product
and change their offer price any time. However in case of Direct
Purchase, during carting period of 5 days, rates for carted quantity, for
that buyer, are frozen for five days against any upward revision by
seller.
24. Whether a purchase can be mac:Je from a Vendor offline who
quotes prices lower than online GeM prices?
The GeM prices cannot be taken for comparison for offline purchase as
the prices are dynamic. The GeM prices are only valid for procurement
through the GeM portal. Further the Market Prices of various Goods and
Services as offered by sellers on GeM are offer prices. For getting best
competitive rates, GeM recommends use of the bidding tool available on
the portal.
25. Whether apprdval of competent authority is required for
procuring goods frdm GeM?
Yes, the purchase off~cer
has to take necessary approvals of competent
authority of their department in accordance with GFR and other
Government instructi ns applicable to them.
26. What is the safeguard, if the prices c ange during the
process of approval?
In case of Direct Purchase, during carting period bf
5 days, rates for
carted quantity, for that buyer, are frozen for fiv~ days against any
upward revision by Seller. 1

27. In how many days delivery will be made?1

In case of Direct Purchase, the items will be delivered as per delivery
period notified by the supplier on GeM for particular item . In case of
Bidding / RA, Delivery Period will be as per stipulations made by the
buyer in the bid document.
28. What if deliveries are not made in time?
Standard LD clause of GeM will apply.
29. What is PMA Compliant arid SSI Compliant filter on GeM?
On GeM, the filters for selecting goods which are Preferential Market
Access (PMA) compliant and those manufactured by Small Scale
Industries(SSI), enables the Government buyers to procure Make in
India and SSI goods very easily. Easily accessible MIS also enables the
administrators and policy makers to easily and effectively enforce the
Government regulations on PMA and SSI sourcing .
30. How can Buyer add additional specifications which are not
there in E Bid parameter?
While creating e-bid, Additional parameters field have been given to the
buyer to indicate the special requirements of the product.
31. Can Buyer cancel the E Bid before finalization?
Yes, Buyer can cancel the ongoing E-bid any time.
32. Is it possible to open E-bid on a holiday?
Yes, technically it is possible and depends on Buyer when he wants to
open the Bid. However Buyers are advised against keeping bid opening
dates on holidays because it may result in causing inconvenience to
prospective bidders and curtailing competition.
33. Can Buyer select multiple consignee locations at the time
of E bid creation?
Yes, Buyer can select multiple consignee locations at the time of e-bid
creation .
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34. Whether it is mandatory for government Buyers to use

I GeM?
V For Central Govt. Ministries or Departments, the procurement of Goods
and Services available on GeM is mandatory.
35. What are the facilities available for documentation for
post contract management on GeM?
• Once the Buyer confirms availability of Budget/block budget
(applicable for PFMS buyers only), he shall be able to generate
sanction and contract on GeM Portal.
• Once on line order is placed on GeM, the Seller is required to
deliver the Goods/ perform Services to consignee within stipulated
delivery date.
• After dispatch of the ordered Goods/ performs ordered Services,
the Seller generates online e-signed Invoice on GeM portal.
• Once the Goods/ Services are received, consignee to issue online
e-signed Provisional Receipt Certificate (PRC) on GeM porta l on
said to contain basis indicating actual date of receipt of supplies.
• Consignee exercises his right for inspection and
Acceptance/Rejection and generates Consignee Receipt and
Acceptance Certificate (CRAC) within 10 days of receipt of Goods,
else supplied Goods are deemed accepted for which GeM porta l
itself generates CRAC.
• For accepted supplies Buyer generates Bill Advice on GeM Portal.
After receipt of Bill Advice DDO/ Paying Authority (PAO) (as
applicable) are required to generqte Bill and process the same for
ti me bound release of payment to Seller. Total 10 days time after
generation of CRAC has been prescribed for release of payment for
accepted supplies against GeM contract.
SELLER

36. What are the facilities/ features of GeM? Why should I sell
on GeM?
GeM is the Govt. Pu~lic Procurement Porta l with maximum online reach
and highest credibili~, with many registered Govt. customers across the
Country. It has the fo11owing features and benefits:
• Direct access to1 all Govt. departments registered

. • One stop markJting

•
~lace with minimal marketing efforts.
No need to wat h for tenders of different Govt. departments.
 • Freedom from Product registration : No need to run for product
and model registration etc.
• Products accepted against supplier's guara tee/ warrantee and
generally free from pre-dispatch inspection te~ting and evaluation
procedures. I
• Freedom from fixed specifications: No need to customize to given
specifications. Market your product with all fbatures defined by
you . Update and upgrade products as soon and as many times as
you find it necessary.
• Dynamic pricing - price can be changed based on market
conditions - no fixed price for whole year - no fear of fluctuation
of raw material prices or exchange rate variations.
• Dynamic product listing - no need to run for model up­
gradation/ changes. List your latest products and market them
based on features and your competitive prices.
• Get complete information of all Govt. requirements th rough Annual
Procurement Plans.
• Timely payment.
• Consistent and uniform purchase procedures.
37. Who can sell on GeM?
The "Seller(s)" on GeM will be the OEMs (Original Equipment
Manufacturers) and/or their authorized channel partner(s)/ resellers
(having any general authorization I dealership of the OEM to sell thei r
product in open market) and e- Marketplaces.
38. How do I sell on GeM?
To sell on GeM
• Register yourself on the GeM portal.
• List your products under specific product categories.
• Once an order is received, deliver the product to the Consignee
duly entering its details on the portal.
• Once an order is successfully delivered, Consignee shall inspect I
test the product for its conformity with contract specifications and
issue acceptance I rejection through on-line CRAC.
• After CRAC, buyer will process the bill and forward to paying
authority for time bound payments.
39. Can I offer both Products/Goods & Services on GeM?
Yes, you can sell both Goods as well as Services on GeM ; however you
need to register separately for the two categories.
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40. Who decides the price of the products?

As a seller, you will set the price of your products. However, it is upto
the Purchaser to select the product as per his requirements. Contract
shall be placed by buyer only if he is satisfied with reasonableness of
price offered by you.
41. Will I get charged for listing products on GeM?
Not at present. However, the modalities are being worked out.
42. Who takes care of the delivery of my products?
It is the Seller's responsibility to deliver t he product safely to the
consignee.
43. How and when will I get paid?
The payment will be made directly to your bank account by the paying
authority of the buyer ideally withtn 10 days after receipt and
acceptance of the Goods/ Services
44. How many listings are required to start selling?
You can start with even one listing and can gradually increase number
of listings.
45. Why is the AADHAAR No .mandatory for registration on
GeM?
AADHAAR No. is must for using GeM for Buyers and Sellers for;
verification of identity of individuals u.sing the portal and also for e­
signing of online GeM contract documentations, using verification of One
Time Password (OTP) received on mobile no linked with AADHAAR
46. Can I talk to someone about selling on GeM?
Yes. Helpdesks/ Call Centre on working days basis are functional who
would address the issues raised by the stakeholders.
47. What is listing?
Listing a product refkrs to filling out all the necessary information and
adding images of the product so that a customer can make an informed
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buying decision.
48. How do I price my products?·
While pricing the products on GeM, please include for logistics, packing
& forwarding, all taxes, duties including Excise uty, Service Tax &
CST/VAT and all local taxes such as octroi, entry tpx etc. as applicable
for specific delivery location to arrive at the Selling Price on ALL
INCLUSIVE basis, with free delivery at Consignee site basis.
49 . How do I manage my order on GeM?
Through seller dashboard, GeM will make it really easy for you to
manage your orders. Wherever a customer places an order, GeM wil l
send you an e-mail alert. You need to deliver within the time frame to
the Consignee as prescribed in the Contract/ SO/ PO.
50. Would I get compensation if the customer has returned
damaged products?
No. The decision of the Buyer/Consignee will be fina l and binding in this
regard. It is Seller's responsibility to safely deliver goods at consignee
destination.
51. Would I get compensation if the goods are damaged or lost
in transit?
No, it is the Seller's responsibility to deliver the products safely to the
consignee.
52. How to offer additional specifications which are not there in
RA and E Bid?
While putting offer in RA and e bid, Additional parameters have been
given to the vendor to indicate the speciality I superiority of the product.
53. Who can participate in Reverse Auction I E Bid?
Any Vendor, who has registered their product in that pa rticular category
of product and services, can participate in Reverse Auction and E bid so
long he has registered his product 48 hours prior to closing of RA I E
Bid.
54. What is minimum time to participate in E-bid?
It is 7 days from date of creation of bid only if Seller is already
registered in particular category of product and service for wh ich E-bid is
created.

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55. Can all sellers/vendors see all ongoing bids?

Yes, all seller/vendor can see all ongoing E- bids on their dashboard .
56. Who will get final order after evaluations of E-bid?
From the eligible supplier having lowest price among the participated
suppliers on the GeM, meeting the requ isite quality, specification and
delivery period.
57. Is there need of any physical documents?
Registration process is online and no physical document is required.

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