Community

Ask anything about tenders. Get an instant AI answer plus advice from real businesses.

Ask the community & AI

Get an instant AI answer, and let other businesses chime in too.

Recent discussions

243 questionsSee all →
RP

Rohit P.

2 hours ago

GeMDocumentsBeginner

First time bidding on GeM — what documents do I actually need?

I run a small electrical firm in Thane. Want to bid on street-light tenders but confused about the paperwork. Can someone list what's mandatory?

24 2 answers· 312 views
AI

For most GeM electrical tenders you'll typically need: GST certificate, electrical contractor licence, PAN, Udyam/MSME certificate, and an address proof (Aadhaar/electricity bill/rent agreement — any one). Many also ask for an OEM authorisation letter and BIS certificates for the luminaires. Always open the specific tender's 'Eligibility' and 'Documents' tabs — requirements vary per tender. On each tender page here, the 'Documents to submit' section lists exactly what that tender wants.

31 found this helpful

SK

Suresh K.

5 hours ago

ProfitCivilPricing

What is a good profit margin to target on civil tenders?

Everyone quotes so low these days. On road and building work, what margin is realistic after all costs?

18 1 answer· 256 views
AI

On civil work (roads, buildings), realistic net margins usually land around 8–16% after material, labour, equipment, transport and overheads. Below ~8% there's little room for delays or price rises — risky. Use the auto profit estimate on each tender page here: it breaks down typical cost for that job type and your state, so you can see the likely margin before quoting.

22 found this helpful

FM

Farhan M.

8 hours ago

EMDPayments

EMD got deducted — is that normal?

I didn't win a tender but my EMD hasn't come back yet. Is this normal or did I do something wrong?

9 1 answer· 140 views
AI

EMD (Earnest Money Deposit) is refundable for non-winning bidders, but refunds can take a few weeks after the tender is awarded. It is only forfeited if you withdraw your bid after submission or refuse the work after winning. If it's been over 30 days post-award, raise a query with the procuring department referencing your bid ID.

14 found this helpful

RG

R. George

yesterday

PricingElectrical

My bid got rejected as 'non-responsive' — what did I miss?

New to government tenders. Want to get this right the first time. Thanks in advance.

48 2 answers· 1006 views
AI

Read the BOQ line by line: quantities are fixed, you only quote rates. Don't leave any rate blank — a missing rate often makes the bid non-responsive.

13 found this helpful

PK

Prakash Khan

yesterday

ElectricalBeginner

How do I get a Class-3 DSC for CPPP tenders?

New to government tenders. Want to get this right the first time. Thanks in advance.

64 2 answers· 1035 views
AI

For most electrical tenders you'll typically need GST registration, PAN, Udyam/MSME certificate, and proof of similar work. Open the tender's 'Eligibility' and 'Documents' tabs — requirements vary per tender. On each tender page here, the 'Documents to submit' section lists exactly what that tender wants.

23 found this helpful

MM

Manoj Menon

2 days ago

PricingDSC

Which documents get my electrical bid disqualified most often?

Been doing private work for years, first time going for a electrical govt tender in Amritsar.

51 4 answers· 1400 views
AI

Read the BOQ line by line: quantities are fixed, you only quote rates. Don't leave any rate blank — a missing rate often makes the bid non-responsive.

59 found this helpful

AS

Anita Shah

2 days ago

DocumentsElectrical

Is Udyam/MSME registration enough to bid on IT works?

I run a small Solar installer firm in Madurai. Trying to bid but a bit confused — any guidance appreciated.

22 4 answers· 120 views
AI

Read the BOQ line by line: quantities are fixed, you only quote rates. Don't leave any rate blank — a missing rate often makes the bid non-responsive.

57 found this helpful

RP

R. Pawar

3 days ago

TurnoverBeginner

How do I check if I'm eligible before paying for the DSC?

Been doing private work for years, first time going for a electrical govt tender in Ludhiana.

8 5 answers· 885 views
AI

A Class-3 DSC from any licensed certifying authority takes 1–2 days. Register it once on the portal and it signs all your bids. Without it you can't submit online.

49 found this helpful

PK

Padma Kulkarni

4 days ago

EligibilityCPPP

How long before closing should I submit my bid?

New to government tenders. Want to get this right the first time. Thanks in advance.

33 3 answers· 1007 views
AI

EMD is usually about 2% of the contract value and is fully refundable if you don't win. For a ₹60 L tender that's roughly ₹120 K. It's separate from performance security, which only the winner pays.

44 found this helpful

PB

P. Banerjee

5 days ago

DSCProfit

How do I read the BOQ for a IT contract without overquoting?

Been doing private work for years, first time going for a IT govt tender in Lucknow.

31 4 answers· 1088 views
AI

For most IT tenders you'll typically need GST registration, PAN, Udyam/MSME certificate, and proof of similar work. Open the tender's 'Eligibility' and 'Documents' tabs — requirements vary per tender. On each tender page here, the 'Documents to submit' section lists exactly what that tender wants.

21 found this helpful

SH

Sanjay H.

6 days ago

DSCCivil

What's a safe margin to quote on healthcare works in Ludhiana?

I run a small Road works firm in Ludhiana. Trying to bid but a bit confused — any guidance appreciated.

79 2 answers· 1064 views
AI

'Similar work' usually means a completed contract of the same category and comparable value in the last 3–7 years. Keep your completion certificates handy — they're the usual proof.

16 found this helpful

DN

Deepak N.

1 week ago

CivilGeM

How do I get a Class-3 DSC for the state tenders?

New to government tenders. Want to get this right the first time. Thanks in advance.

69 4 answers· 640 views
AI

For most IT tenders you'll typically need GST registration, PAN, Udyam/MSME certificate, and proof of similar work. Open the tender's 'Eligibility' and 'Documents' tabs — requirements vary per tender. On each tender page here, the 'Documents to submit' section lists exactly what that tender wants.

35 found this helpful

📚 Knowledge base

All guides →

Our guide library grows every week — bookmark it.