Key Tender Details at a Glance

The closing and opening times, turnover, experience, bid validity and bid number are stated in the GeM bid document.

Scope of Work

The procurement is for Vertical Wind Tunnel (VWT) Training for personnel of the Indian Air Force.

The supplied Scope of Work document lists 12 personnel for the training. The stated training requirement is that each individual will undergo 15 minutes of free-fall training in a controlled environment each day for four days, resulting in one hour of training per individual and 12 total training hours for 12 individuals.

Core scope includes:

1. Provision of Vertical Wind Tunnel Training.
2. Training of 12 designated personnel.
3. 15 minutes of free-fall training per individual per day.
4. Training conducted over four days.
5. Total training exposure of one hour per individual.
6. Aggregate training requirement of 12 hours for 12 personnel.
7. Training to be delivered in accordance with the applicable Scope of Work, Service Terms and Conditions and Service Level Agreement requirements.

The contract-related terms additionally indicate a training schedule for 12 Garud personnel, with personnel routed quarterly, and payment linked to the number of individuals successfully trained.

Professional Qualification and Technical Criteria

The tender does not prescribe a separate academic degree, professional qualification or individual trainer certification in the main bid information supplied.

Instead, the principal qualification requirements are focused on the bidder/service provider's experience, turnover, supporting certifications and service capability.

The GeM bid requires the following documents from sellers:

1. Experience Criteria
2. Bidder Turnover
3. Certificate requested in ATC
4. OEM Authorization Certificate
5. OEM Annual Turnover
6. Additional Document 1 requested in ATC

Where a bidder claims exemption from experience or turnover requirements, documentary evidence supporting the exemption must be uploaded for buyer evaluation.

The bidder must also comply with the service requirements and applicable GeM terms, including the Scope of Work, Service Level Agreement and Additional Terms and Conditions.

Eligibility Criteria

1. Minimum Turnover

The bidder must have a minimum average annual turnover of ₹8 lakh during the last three years.

The turnover is to be supported by certified audited balance sheets or a certificate from a Chartered Accountant/Cost Accountant showing the relevant turnover.

2. Similar-Service Experience

The bidder must have at least three years of past experience in providing similar services.

The bid specifies that relevant experience should relate to services provided to Central Government organisations, State Government organisations or PSUs. Relevant contracts/orders are required as supporting evidence for the applicable financial years.

3. MSE and Startup Relaxation

The specific bid states:

1. MSE relaxation for experience and turnover: No
2. Startup relaxation for experience and turnover: No

However, eligible MSE service providers may receive MSE purchase preference subject to the conditions and validation prescribed in the bid and applicable GeM policy. The bid specifies MSE purchase preference and a price band of L1 + 15%.

4. MSE Purchase Preference

The tender provides MSE purchase preference for eligible service providers. The bidder must satisfy the applicable Udyam registration and validation requirements. For services, the bidder must be the service provider of the offered service; traders/resellers do not qualify for the stated MSE service-provider preference.

Financial Criteria

The principal financial qualification is the minimum average annual turnover of ₹8 lakh for the preceding three years.

The bid does not specify a separate Net Worth requirement in the supplied documents.

The bid also requires an OEM Annual Turnover document as part of the seller document checklist.

Financial Requirement Table

The EMD amount of ₹35,000 and ePBG requirement of 0.01% are stated in the bid document.

EMD, EMD Exemption and Tender Fee

EMD Amount

The required Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) is ₹35,000.

The designated advisory bank shown in the bid is State Bank of India. The beneficiary is identified as OIC ATG, Air Force Station Thoise, Department of Military Affairs, Indian Air Force, Ministry of Defence.

EMD Exemption

EMD exemption is available subject to applicable GeM rules.

The tender states that a bidder seeking EMD exemption must submit valid supporting documentation. Under the MSE provision, eligible service providers for services can claim exemption subject to the prescribed conditions; traders are excluded from this specific MSE EMD exemption provision.

The applicable GeM GTC also identifies eligible categories such as qualifying MSEs, recognised startups and other specified entities as potentially exempt from bid security, subject to the prescribed documentation and validation requirements.

EMD Mode

The tender does not state that EMD must be paid exclusively through an online payment gateway. The bid specifically states that EMD shall also be accepted in the form of a surety bond. Applicable GeM provisions also require the EMD documentation to be uploaded with the online bid and, where applicable, the original/hard copy to be furnished to the buyer within the prescribed period.

Bidder advisory: Applicants should follow the exact EMD instrument and submission instructions displayed on the live GeM bid at the time of submission.

Tender Fee

No tender fee/bid participation fee is specified.

In fact, the bid's disclaimer specifically lists asking for any Tender Fee / Bid Participation Fee as a prohibited condition for the GeM bid.

Submission Guidelines

The tender is a GeM Single Packet Bid, and the bid submission is to be completed through the GeM online platform. The bid's evaluation method is Total Value Wise Evaluation, and Reverse Auction is not enabled.

Important submission points

1. Bidder should maintain an active and compliant GeM seller/service-provider profile.
2. Upload the required experience documentation.
3. Upload turnover evidence for the prescribed period.
4. Upload the certificate requested in ATC.
5. Upload OEM Authorization Certificate, where applicable/required.
6. Upload OEM Annual Turnover documentation.
7. Upload the additional document requested in ATC.
8. Upload valid documents supporting any claimed EMD exemption.
9. Ensure that all documents are legible, current and consistent with the bidder's GeM profile.
10. Submit the commercial/financial offer through the prescribed GeM bid process.
11. Ensure EMD compliance or valid exemption before final submission.
12. Review the live GeM bid for any corrigendum or clarification before submitting the offer.

The bid allows two days for technical clarifications during technical evaluation.

Important Tender Deadlines

The GeM bid document is dated 19 August 2026 and specifies the closing date as 3 September 2026 at 1:00 PM and opening at 1:30 PM.

Pre-Bid Meeting: No pre-bid meeting date, time or venue is specified in the supplied tender documents. Therefore, a pre-bid meeting should not be reported as scheduled unless a subsequent GeM corrigendum or clarification announces one.

Document Checklist for Bidders

The following checklist is based on the documents specifically requested in the GeM bid:

1. Experience Criteria documents
2. Bidder Turnover documents
3. Certificate requested in ATC
4. OEM Authorization Certificate
5. OEM Annual Turnover document
6. Additional Document 1 requested in ATC
7. Valid EMD documentation for ₹35,000, if not claiming exemption
8. Valid EMD exemption certificate/supporting documents, if claiming exemption
9. Audited financial statements / CA or Cost Accountant turnover certificate
10. Relevant contracts/work orders demonstrating three years of similar-service experience
11. Udyam Certificate and related validation documents, if claiming MSE benefits
12. Startup/DPIIT documentation, if claiming any applicable startup benefit
13. Acceptance/compliance of the Scope of Work
14. Compliance with applicable GeM GTC, STC/SLA and ATC
15. Compliance declaration for applicable restrictions relating to bidders from countries sharing a land border with India
16. All documents uploaded on GeM in the prescribed online bid process

The bid expressly identifies Experience Criteria, Bidder Turnover, ATC Certificate, OEM Authorization Certificate, OEM Annual Turnover and Additional Document 1 as seller documents.

Contract and Payment Conditions

The additional contract terms provide that payment efforts will be made between 30 and 45 days after successful completion of VWT training, either collectively or in phases as envisaged in the contract/ATC.

The document further states that payment will be made on a quarterly basis according to the number of individuals trained, with no advance payment.

The training schedule refers to 12 Garud personnel, with individuals routed quarterly, and the payment mechanism linked to completed training.

The bid also contains an Option Clause of 25%, under which the buyer may increase or decrease the contract quantity or duration by up to 25%, subject to the conditions specified in the bid. For a lumpsum-based service contract, the scope and contract value may also be increased up to 25% with the service provider's consent.

Bidder Risk Points and Tender Advisory

Prospective bidders should pay particular attention to the following:

1. Turnover threshold is mandatory

The minimum average annual turnover is ₹8 lakh, and the tender expressly states that there is no MSE or startup relaxation for experience and turnover.

2. Three years of relevant experience is required

Experience must relate to similar services, with supporting contracts/orders to be uploaded.

3. EMD compliance is important

The EMD is ₹35,000. Bidders claiming exemption must upload valid supporting documentation.

4. No tender fee should be demanded

The bid specifically identifies a tender fee/bid participation fee as an impermissible condition.

5. No Net Worth criterion has been identified

The supplied bid documents do not specify a minimum net worth requirement. Bidders should nevertheless ensure that their financial records support the turnover eligibility requirement.

6. Estimated bid value is not available in readable form

The tender explains that the estimated bid value is used for guidance regarding EMD and eligibility criteria, but the actual estimated value is not clearly disclosed in the supplied readable bid pages.

The accompanying GeM Availability Report image also contains a masked estimated procurement value rather than a clearly readable amount.

Overall Tender Assessment

From a tender-compliance perspective, this procurement is particularly relevant to organisations that have demonstrated capability in specialised vertical wind tunnel, free-fall or related professional training services and can satisfy the Government-sector experience requirement.

The most important qualification filters are the ₹8 lakh minimum average annual turnover, three years of similar-service experience, required supporting documents and compliance with the ₹35,000 EMD requirement or a valid EMD exemption.

The procurement is being conducted through GeM, with a Single Packet Bid and no Reverse Auction. The bid closes on 3 September 2026 at 1:00 PM, with opening scheduled for 1:30 PM on the same date.

The Scope of Work is focused and specialised: training is required for 12 Indian Air Force personnel, with each individual receiving 15 minutes of controlled free-fall training per day for four days, equivalent to one hour per person and 12 total training hours.

Potential bidders should independently verify the live GeM bid, subsequent corrigenda, clarifications and any updated ATC/SLA provisions immediately before submission.

Consultation and Advisory

For consultation and advisory services relating to tender eligibility, bid documentation, compliance review, GeM tender participation and submission support, please call or WhatsApp:

9630030343

Email: support@skillcouncils.com