The Government of India has initiated the Government e-Marketplace portal (GeM) to promote fairness and ease of procurement by government organizations and departments and ministries. GeM is a transparent, efficient, and easy-to-use marketplace for businesses to supply goods or services to a government organization. To register on the GeM portal, follow the instructions below:
1. Go to your system's internet browser (Chrome/Firefox) and open the GeM portal.
2. Select your business/organization type: Proprietorship, Firm, Company, or Trust/Society/Association of Persons.
3. Select all required documents from the checklist and click on PROCEED.
4. Review the General Terms and Conditions and click on I have read and agreed to the Terms & Conditions of Government e-Marketplace (GeM).
5. Provide Your Organization's Details: Enter and confirm your business/company name, then click NEXT.
6. Personal Verification: Authenticate yourself by providing either your Aadhaar or PAN card number, then click on Verify PAN.
7. Email Verification: Provide a working email ID. An OTP will be sent to this ID for verification.
8. User Credentials: Create a unique username to log in to the GeM portal.
9. Completing Your Business Profile: Navigate to the Home –> My Account option and navigate to multiple tabs to complete your profile.
10. Business PAN Validation: Enter the required details based on your selected entity type. For proprietorship, submit your PAN card; for partnership or private limited, provide the company’s PAN card details (where applicable).
11. Business Details: Provide the Date of Incorporation and click on SAVE.
12. Office Locations: Enter your business location details ( GSTIN optional).
13. Bank Accounts: Enter the details of the bank account where you would like to receive payments.
14. Tax Assessment: If your organization’s date of incorporation is older than 2 years from the registration date, provide the tax assessment details.
15. E-Invoicing: If your company's turnover exceeds ₹5 crores, provide the highest turnover achieved in the last 3 years.
16. MSME: Enter your Udyam Number and an associated mobile number to verify the MSME certificate.
17. Startup: If you are a registered startup according to Indian government norms, select Registered with Startup India.
18. Beneficial Ownership Compliance: This is an undertaking confirming that the products you sell or plan to sell do not have any connection to China.
19. Caution Money: A one-time security deposit is mandatory for completing your profile verification.
20. In conclusion, GeM registration is a critical step, and all information provided must be accurate to prevent compliance-related issues later. Follow the steps outlined in this blog to assist you with the registration process.
What is the difference between CPPP and GeM portal?
The Central Public Procurement Portal (CPPP) is an e-portal launched by the Government of India for the e-procurement of government departments and public sector enterprises. The CPPP is designed to centralize and standardize tendering by government departments and public sector enterprises to improve transparency, efficiency, and accessibility in public procurement. The main functions of the CPP portal are tender management, e-procurement, transparency, and bid tracking. The steps for both of them are alike at most stages; however, here you can see some differences.
CPPP and GeM are both used for government procurement, but they serve different purposes and have their own functions. The CPPP ejects only tendering for government departments and public sector enterprises, while GeM functions as an online marketplace for government departments and public sector enterprises to directly purchase goods and services.
To replace your Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) on an e-procurement portal, log in using your current DSC; find a menu item titled "Profile" or "DSC Management"; click on the option to remove or revoke your old DSC; plug your new DSC token into your computer and install any necessary drivers; go back to the e-procurement portal, and click on the option to upload or register your new DSC.
If you need a digital signature for the CPP Portal, you would obtain a digital signature at a certifying authority such as Capricorn CA—or any authorized certifying authority. The cost of a digital signature for CPP Portal tendering varies on a number of factors, including the certifying authority, the Digital Signature Certificate type obtained, and the period of validity.
Document signers typically use a Class 2 DSC, while a Class 3 DSC is needed if you want higher levels of security, for example, for government tenders or high-value transactions. When you purchase a USB token, it is considered an extra charge. The following factors can influence the cost of a USB token: the validity period of the token (usually 1 to 3 years), the certifying authority (different authorities will have different prices), whether the provider applies service charges (for example, they may have service charges that will be additional, or they may include service charges with the price), renewal fees for after the DSC validity period has lapsed, and fees for replacement of the USB token if it was lost or damaged.
Conclusion
The CPPP and GeM are key tools to facilitate the procurement for government departments and public sector enterprises. It is important to purchase a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) to safely and effectively submit your bid on the CPPP portal and to ensure that the procurement process is accessible, efficient, and transparent.