WHY ISO FOR PRODUCT STANDARD IS IMPORTANT FOR GEM PORTAL ?

 

Importance of ISO Certification for GeM Portal

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certifications play a crucial role on the GeM (Government e-Marketplace) portal for several reasons:

1. Quality Assurance:

   • ISO certifications, such as ISO 9001:2015, ensure that products and services meet international quality standards. This is essential for government buyers who require reliable and high-quality goods

2. Credibility and Trust:

   • Having ISO certification enhances the credibility of sellers. It assures government buyers that the products or services offered are of consistent quality and meet global benchmarks

3. Compliance with Standards:

   • ISO certifications ensure that sellers comply with various regulatory and statutory requirements. This is particularly important for government procurement, which demands adherence to strict standards

4. Competitive Advantage:

   • Sellers with ISO certifications often have a competitive edge over those without. It can be a deciding factor in winning bids and contracts on the GeM portal

5. Risk Management:

   • ISO standards help in identifying and mitigating risks associated with product quality and safety. This reduces the likelihood of defects and enhances customer satisfaction¹.

6. Efficiency and Improvement:

   • Implementing ISO standards encourages continuous improvement in processes and systems. This leads to increased efficiency and better overall performance¹.

Importance of IAF Certification

The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) certification is also significant for several reasons:

1. Global Recognition:

   • IAF accreditation is recognized worldwide, providing a mark of quality and reliability that is accepted across borders².

2. Confidence and Trust:

   • IAF certification ensures that the certification body has been evaluated and meets international standards, which builds confidence and trust among clients and stakeholders².

3. Minimized Risk:

   • Decisions based on IAF-accredited certifications are more reliable, reducing the risk of non-compliance and ensuring that products and services meet the required standards².

4. Market Access:

   • IAF certification can help break down trade and technical barriers, facilitating smoother international trade and market access².

5. Enhanced Credibility:

   • Organizations with IAF-accredited certifications are seen as more credible and trustworthy, which can enhance their reputation and competitive edge in the market².

ISO and IAF certifications are essential for maintaining high standards on the GeM portal, ensuring that government buyers receive top-quality products and services. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!

 1: Importance of ISO certification for sellers on Government e-Marketplacehttp://

 2 : GeM | Seller FAQs

Importance of ISO certification for sellers on Government e-Marketplace

We all know that in order to empower the small traders and manufacturers, the Indian Government has launched transparent e-Marketplace prominently known as GeM.

Any small scale businessman or a manufacturer can get an easy GeM registration in its business name. A business would then be able to access the wide interface to sell its items and services to distinguished buyers from the Government sector or PSUs, where there is a huge requirement for such supplies. However, there are certain technical parameters specified by the GeM department for the sellers’ products to be uploaded for sale on the GeM portal. Government buyers require first-class goods that fulfill the global benchmarks of quality. Accordingly, the sellers are required to obtain global accreditations such as ISO certification so that they can easily sell their products on Government e-Marketplace.

Here we will understand the role of ISO certification for the sellers on Government e-Marketplace. But first, we must quickly go through the concept of Government e-Marketplace.

 

1. An overview of Government e-Marketplace

The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is an e-commerce portal operated by the Government of India. It is an online interactive interface where the sellers and government buyers meet to facilitate the procurement of Goods and Services required by different Government Departments, Organizations and the Public Sector Undertakings. Now, the Government Departments require only the first-rate goods that are free of defects or faults.

Here comes the role of the ISO certification for the sellers on the Government e-Marketplace. The GeM department has necessitated the ISO certification for the manufacturers, as a basic criterion for their products to be uploaded for sale on the GeM interface.

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2. The role of ISO certification on the Government e-Marketplace

It is beyond any uncertainty that the benchmarks like the ISO 9001:2015 certification are the universal standards for impeccable Quality Management Systems (QMS). It emphasizes a well-defined structure for quality management in all organizations for all their products, processes and systems. The key objective of this standard is that all products of an organization meet the specifications and conditions for all customer satisfaction, in the most attainable way.

Since the Government Departments emphasize on the quality of the products they procure from the private sellers, the manufacturers having GeM registration as OEM are supposed to have ISO certification for their products.

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3. When are the GeM sellers asked for the ISO certification?

It is important to note that only the manufacturers having GeM registration as OEM on the Government e-Marketplace are supposed to get the ISO certification. There are certain stages when the GeM OEM sellers are asked for the ISO certification.

These are discussed below:

1. Vendor registration:

Once a manufacturer gets a GeM registration and is given an OEM panel, then the seller has to complete the Vendor registration process.

The vendor registration process is subject to quality audit by the Quality Council of India [QCI]. During this stage, the manufacturer’s products have to go through with quality assessment conducted by the Quality Council of India (QCI). The manufacturer may be asked to obtain further certification such as ISO certification, specifically the three key ISO standards-

• ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management Systems
• ISO 14001:2016 for environment management
• ISO 45001:2018 for occupational health & safety  
• ISO 27001:2013 for Information Security Management

On successful assessment, payment of government fees of INR 11,200/- + 18% GST (which is non-refundable) has to be made.

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2. Tender application:

Another important stage where the ISO certification is essentially required is while applying for a government tender.

The government departments broadcast their requirement on the GeM portal as well as the Central Public Procurement Portal (CPPP) for the procurement of goods or services. They invite the GeM sellers to apply for the government tenders. Generally in the tender notice, the government departments clearly specify that the sellers must have ISO certification.  Besides, the ISO certification will not be considered if it’s obtained after the date of tender publication.

Know more about 

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3. Product listing:

In order to make his products available for sale on the GeM portal, the seller has to upload the products that he wishes to sell on the GeM portal. This process is known as the Product listing. During this procedure, the seller is required to give the technical specifications of his product. In certain cases such as electronic goods, additional parameters are required, including ISO certification.

Know how to list products on the GeM portal. 

So we can see that the ISO certification is an unavoidable necessity for the manufacturers to sell their products on Government e-Marketplace.