The Government e-Marketplace (GeM), a platform for public procurement, recently introduced a national outreach program, GeM Samvaad. This initiative seeks to attract sellers to vend products online to government buyers. The government aims to connect with stakeholders throughout the country, including local vendors, with the goal to ease the onboarding process onto the marketplace, while meeting specific requirements and procurement needs of buyers. Moreover, under the ‘Voice of Customer’ initiative, the GeM also plans to acquire feedback from users. This valuable information will be employed to improve and advance the system.
About the Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
Launched in 2016, GeM is a comprehensive National Public Procurement Portal designed to streamline online procurement of common use goods and services necessary for various Central and State Government Departments, Organizations, and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). The platform operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, established with the intention of enhancing transparency and efficiency in government purchasing processes.
The GeM mandates the procurement of goods and services by Ministries and the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) for items available on the platform. It incorporates tools such as e-bidding and reverse e-auction to equip government users with the necessary resources to achieve maximum value for their money.
Current Statistics of GeM
As per current reports, the GeM showcases more than 15 lakh products, around 20,000 services, and houses over 40,000 Government buyer organizations.
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Products | 15 lakhs+ |
| Services | 20,000+ |
| Government buyer organizations | 40,000+ |
The GeM Samvaad Initiative
In efforts to strengthen the marketplace, the GeM introduced the national outreach program, GeM Samvaad. This initiative is a strategic move to attract more sellers to offer their goods and services online to government buyers. By reaching out to stakeholders throughout the country and local sellers in particular, the government hopes to facilitate the onboarding process for potential vendors onto the marketplace. Meanwhile, it also aims to cater to specific requirements and procurement needs of government buyers.
The second facet of the initiative, the ‘Voice of Customer’, seeks feedback from its users. These insights will be instrumental in making enhancements to the system, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring it caters to the evolving needs of its users. The combined efforts of both these initiatives are expected to optimize the value GeM offers to all its stakeholders: sellers, buyers, and the government.
