Tracking GeM bid deadlines: a simple system (sheet, calendar, reminders)
GeM bid dates can change by corrigendum, and the work before an end date takes longer than it looks. This guide sets up a simple system of one sheet, a calendar and reminders that keeps every shortlisted bid's dates in one place and catches the changes.
The dates that matter
| Date | Where you find it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Start Date | Bid card | When the bid was published; GeM's GTC asks for at least 10 clear days before the last date for submission |
| Representation window | Disclaimer in the bid document | Objections to the buyer's added clauses are raised within 4 days of publication |
| Pre-Bid Date and Time | Bid document, if there is a pre-bid | Your chance to ask the buyer questions |
| Bid End Date/Time | Bid card and bid document | The last moment to submit, in IST |
| Bid Opening Date/Time | Bid document | The original of an EMD instrument is due within 5 working days of opening |
| Bid Offer Validity (From End Date) | Bid document | How long your price must hold |
The guide to the bid document's key fields shows where each of these rows sits.
One sheet for every bid you shortlist
Give each bid one row and use the bid number as its key, since it never changes. Useful columns: bid number, items, department, end date and time, opening date and time, EMD, owner, status (reviewing, preparing, submitted, dropped), your internal deadline, document link and the date you last checked the bid. Sort by end date each morning.
GeM writes dates day first, as in 05-11-2026. In Google Sheets, set File, Settings, Locale to India so that date reads as 5 November rather than 11 May, or keep dates as plain text.
A calendar event per bid
Create one event at each bid's end time with two notifications, two days and one day before, and a second event for your internal deadline a day or more earlier. GeM's times are IST, so if your calendar uses another time zone, set the event's time zone to India Standard Time. Put the bid number and document link in the event so a reminder takes you straight to the bid.
Catch date changes
GeM's GTC says buyers publish amendments and corrigenda online and tell eligible bidders about a changed last date by e-mail or on GeM. Do not rely on the e-mail alone: every few days, open "View Corrigendum/Representation" on each tracked bid's card, and when the end date moves, update the sheet row and the calendar event the same day. Corrigenda are numbered, as in GEM/2025/B/6930721-C7, so you can tell whether you have read the latest one.
Leave a buffer
Work back from the end date. You bid by offering a product or service listed on GeM, and the GTC says a new listing normally takes 48 hours to be approved, so add catalogue entries early. Arrange the EMD instrument or exemption proof, and the turnover and experience documents, before the last week. Plan to submit a day early: the GTC says the buyer and GeM are not responsible for problems such as no internet connection, power cuts or system issues.
Doing this faster with Tender Radar
Tender Radar's "Send to Sheet" adds a bid, with its 20 key fields, as a row in a Google Sheet in your own Drive, and sending it again after a corrigendum updates the same row and resets its reminders. "Track" shows a Chrome notification 48 hours and 24 hours before a tracked bid closes, while Chrome is running, and "Add to calendar" opens a Google Calendar event at the bid's end time in IST. These are free during the beta and become Tender Radar Pro features after it.
Frequently asked questions
Does GeM extend bid end dates?
Buyers can change the last date for submission through a corrigendum published on GeM. Open "View Corrigendum/Representation" on the bid card to see it, then update your sheet and calendar.
What time zone are GeM bid dates in?
Indian Standard Time (IST). If your calendar uses another time zone, set each bid event's time zone to India Standard Time.
How early should I submit a GeM bid?
Nothing stops you submitting until the end time, but GeM's GTC says the buyer and GeM are not responsible for internet, power or system problems. Aim to submit at least a day early.