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Selling to government (GeM) · checked 11 November 2026

Register free as a seller on GeM for catalogue buying, and watch CPPP and state portals for tenders; DPIIT recognition waives EMD and turnover rules.

Basic GeM seller registration is free and GeM tells sellers not to pay anyone for it; the costs come later as certification, documents and transaction charges on larger orders. A DPIIT-recognised startup is exempt from earnest money deposits and prior turnover and experience conditions, and the GeM Startup Runway lists an innovative product with no category. Price for 60 to 180 day payment cycles, so a won tender does not run you out of working capital.

The steps 23 answers

  1. What is GeM and how do I get my product listed on it? Starting Up
  2. How do I sell to the government and use GeM, tenders, and public procurement as non-dilutive revenue? Starting Up
  3. How do I actually sell to the government, where do I find the buyers? Starting Up
  4. How do government tenders and procurement actually work for a tiny startup? Starting Up
  5. Do I need certifications or empanelment to sell to a ministry? Starting Up
  6. I'm a DPIIT-recognised startup, what procurement relaxations do I actually get? Starting Up
  7. Are there quotas or preferences that tilt tenders toward small players like me? Starting Up
  8. Government pays slowly, how do I survive the cash-flow gap? Starting Up
  9. How do I turn one government pilot into a repeatable business? Starting Up
  10. Is selling to government even worth it for an early-stage startup? Starting Up
  11. How do I actually price a bid so I win the tender but don't lose money on the contract? Starting Up
  12. What is an EMD and a performance bank guarantee, and how much cash will they lock up before I earn a rupee? Starting Up
  13. The tender asks for three years of turnover and past government experience. I'm brand new. Do I just give up? Starting Up
  14. How do I write a tender bid that doesn't get thrown out on a technicality? Starting Up
  15. Everyone says government sales run on connections and bribes. How do I sell clean and still win? Starting Up
  16. Is state government and municipal procurement easier to break into than central ministries? Starting Up
  17. What's the difference between selling to a PSU, a ministry, and a smart-city SPV, and does it change how I sell? Starting Up
  18. How do I find and read tenders before they close, without drowning in CPPP and a hundred state portals? Starting Up
  19. A government buyer wants me to run a free pilot or PoC. Should I say yes? Starting Up
  20. Do I need to manufacture in India or hit local-content rules to sell hardware or software to the government? Starting Up
  21. How do I keep a government contract for years and not lose it to the next L1 bidder at renewal? Starting Up
  22. Should I hire a liaison agent or consultant to handle government sales, or do it myself? Starting Up
  23. Should we sell to the Indian government and PSUs, and where does GeM fit in? GTM

The readingMost used across these answers

The terms

DPIIT RecognitionWorking CapitalSales CyclePilot

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