DSC for e-Tendering & GeM

Government e-procurement is where DSC requirements get stricter. For tenders and GeM you usually need a Class 3 Combo certificate — here is why, and how to set it up.

Why tenders need a Combo (Sign + Encrypt) DSC

Tender portals do two things with your certificate: they verify your bid is genuinely yours (signing) and they encrypt your price bid so no one can see it before the tender opens (encryption). That is why a Signing-only certificate is not enough — you need the Class 3 Combo (Sign + Encrypt) variant.

DSC for GeM (Government e-Marketplace)

To register and transact as a seller on GeM, the authorised person uses a Class 3 certificate to sign. For organisations, this is typically a Class 3 Organisation certificate in the authorised signatory's name. Keeping a Combo certificate means the same token also works across CPPP and state tender portals.

CPPP and state e-procurement portals

The Central Public Procurement Portal (CPPP) and most state procurement portals follow the same rule: Class 3 Combo for bidding. Each portal asks you to register your DSC once against your login, after which you sign and encrypt bids with the token.

How to register your DSC on a tender portal

Install the token driver and the portal's signing applet (often a Java-based component), log in, open the DSC registration/profile section, select your Class 3 Combo certificate from the token and register it. If you hit signing errors, our token & emSigner fix guide covers the common ones.

Frequently asked questions