Homegrown IT giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has reportedly secured the contract for operating and maintaining the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), the government procurement portal. The Ministry of Commerce launched GeM in August 2016 as a one-stop-shop platform for government ministries and agencies to procure goods and services.
GeM offers a wide range of products and services, including office stationery, automobiles, furniture, computers, logistics, transportation, and waste management. During a recent public event, Union Minister Piyush Goyal announced that TCS had won the contract for operating the portal, highlighting their role in bringing in more elements for ease of operations.
Goyal also mentioned that the government aims to introduce new contemporary and modern features on the platform by the end of the current year or early next year. These enhancements will include services like data analytics to assist buyers and sellers in their procurement decision-making.
The government reported that GeM surpassed the INR 2 Lakh Cr procurement mark in the financial year 2022-23, and Goyal expressed optimism that it would reach the INR 3 Lakh Cr target in the current fiscal year. Currently, GeM boasts a significant user base, with over 63,000 government buyer organizations and 62 lakh sellers actively participating on the platform.
With TCS taking charge of operating and maintaining GeM, the platform is poised to further streamline and enhance the government procurement process, facilitating seamless transactions and fostering transparency in the marketplace.
