Do I need certifications or empanelment to sell to a ministry?
The short answer
For GeM, no upfront empanelment, you register, complete vendor assessment for OEMs, and list. For tenders, the tender document itself dictates what's required: some need product certifications (BIS, STQC, CE), OEM authorisation, or empanelment on a specific department's approved-vendor list before you can even bid. Read each tender's eligibility section as the source of truth; there is no single national certificate that unlocks all government buying.
Go deeper, your way
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Why we picked it
The single-point access to tenders published across central ministries and departments, the tender side of government selling (as opposed to GeM's catalog side). It's where you find, track, and bid on the larger contracts.
Why we picked it
The dedicated on-ramp for DPIIT startups to list innovative products even without a pre-existing category, and the mechanism that turns a pilot trial into a listed, orderable product across ministries. This is how a first pilot becomes a repeatable business.
