GeM (Government e-Marketplace) is the online procurement platform mandated for most central + state govt purchases. If you sell medical devices, drugs, or consumables to hospitals in India, you must be GeM-registered. Registration is free.
Step 1 — Registration prerequisites
- PAN card (individual or company)
- Aadhaar-linked mobile number of the authorised signatory
- GST registration certificate
- Cancelled cheque or bank statement (for account verification)
- MSME Udyam certificate (optional but strongly recommended — unlocks preferential procurement)
- ISO 13485 / CE / CDSCO certificates (for regulated device categories)
Step 2 — Create your seller account
- Visit gem.gov.in → click "Sign Up" → "Seller"
- Verify PAN + Aadhaar OTP
- Fill company details, bank details, tax IDs
- Upload authorisation letters, GST certificate, MSME certificate
- Wait 3-5 working days for verification
Step 3 — List your products
GeM has a rigid product catalog. Your product must map to an existing category:
- Search the GeM catalog for the closest match
- If no match exists, file a Category Request — takes 15-30 days to get a new category approved
- For each product, upload technical specs, brochures, price list, and delivery timeline
- GeM validates specs against the reference standard for that category — mismatched specs get rejected
Step 4 — Respond to bids
Two paths:
- Direct Purchase — buyer places order at your listed price if within their approved bid amount. No bidding.
- Bid — buyer floats a bid, invites suppliers in matching category. You submit financial + technical response before the deadline.
MSME benefits on GeM
- 25% of buyer purchases mandated from MSMEs (of which 4% from SC/ST-owned MSMEs, 3% from women-owned)
- MSMEs can match the L1 rate quoted by non-MSMEs and win the bid (up to 15% price preference)
- No EMD required for MSMEs on most bids