How to read a GeM bid document: a checklist for sellers

Updated 2026-10-28

A GeM bid document is long, but most decisions come from a handful of sections. Work through them in this order.

1. Bid details

• Bid end date and time and bid opening date. Note any extension in a corrigendum.
• Bid offer validity: how long your price must stay valid.
• Ministry, department and organisation: who you'd be selling to.
• Item category and total quantity.

2. Eligibility: can you bid at all?

• Minimum average annual turnover of the bidder (and of the OEM, if asked), usually over the last three financial years.
• Years of past experience required and any past performance requirement.
• Documents required from the seller: a list of certificates and documents you must upload.
• Whether exemption from experience and turnover is offered to MSEs or startups, and on what condition.

3. Money you must lock up

• EMD: amount and whether you're exempt. See EMD exemption for MSEs.
• ePBG (performance security): percentage of the contract value and how long it must be valid.

Use the free EMD and ePBG calculator to see how much cash a bid ties up.

4. Preference policies

• MSE purchase preference: whether it applies, and the conditions.
• Make in India (MII) purchase preference and the minimum local content asked for.

5. Evaluation and process

• Type of bid (for example two packet), evaluation method (item-wise or total value), and whether a reverse auction applies.

6. Consignees and delivery

Check each consignee's address, quantity and delivery days. Late delivery can attract liquidated damages under the bid's terms.

7. The buyer's ATC

Additional Terms and Conditions added by the buyer can override the standard ones: extra documents, warranty, installation, inspection or penalties. Read every ATC line; they're the most common reason a bid is rejected.

With TendifyAI: upload the bid PDF and get these fields read out with the clause each came from, plus a can-bid / can't-bid verdict against your profile. See tender analysis.

Always check your own bid. Rules change, and every tender can set its own terms. The bid document, its ATC and any corrigendum are what count for your bid.

Sources

• GeM — Government e-Marketplace

Related guides

• EMD exemption for MSEs
• Getting paid on GeM after delivery
• EMD and ePBG calculator