India to set up government e-marketplace for ministries

The Finance Ministry today gave its green light to creation of 'Government e-Marketplace' for online purchase of commonly used goods and services by various central government ministries and departments.

The Department of Expenditure has added a new provision in the General Financial Rules (GFR) on the request of Commerce Department for creation of a one-stop GeM by Directorate General Supply and Disposal (DGS&D), it said.

"The DGS&D will host an online Government e-Marketplace (GeM) for common use goods and services. The GeM would be dynamic, self-sustaining and user-friendly. DGS&D will ensure adequate publicity, including periodic advertisements in newspapers of the GeM and the items to be procured through GeM, for prospective suppliers," it said in a statement.

As per the guidelines, the procuring authorities will satisfy themselves that the price of the selected offer is reasonable.

The GeM may be utilised by government buyers (at their option) for direct online purchases.

Purchases up to Rs 50,000 can be made from any of the available suppliers on the GeM, meeting the requisite quality, specification and delivery period.

Above Rs 50,000, the criterion of the lowest price among available suppliers on the GeM has to be followed.

The GeM will also provide tools for online bidding and online reverse auction which can be used by the purchaser.