ICAR-DKMA Social Media Tender 2026 – Key Details

The bid document specifies an estimated value of ₹12,500,000 and EMD of ₹375,000. The bid also specifies a one-year contract and a minimum average annual turnover of ₹500 lakh, with three years of relevant experience.

Scope of Work

The tender is intended to appoint a professional social media management agency to develop and implement a strategic communication, marketing and amplification programme for ICAR.

The objective is to improve dissemination of ICAR's research, education, extension activities, farmer-centric initiatives and other institutional programmes among farmers, agri-entrepreneurs, rural youth, students, scientists, researchers and other stakeholders.

Major responsibilities include:

1. Social Media Strategy

The selected agency will be responsible for developing, planning and continuously improving ICAR's social media strategy. The strategy is expected to use social media analytics and relevant influencers, including agriculture experts, scientists, educators and digital opinion leaders.

2. Social Media Account Management

The agency will create, maintain and manage official social media platforms as required, including platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter/X and YouTube.

Responsibilities include:

1. Content creation and curation
2. Scheduling and publishing
3. Static creative development
4. Video creation
5. GIFs and visual content
6. Branding and thematic campaigns
7. Cross-platform publishing
8. Hashtag and mention optimisation
9. Audience engagement
10. Growth of reach, impressions and followers

3. Live Event Coverage

The agency will provide complete social media coverage of conferences, fairs, field demonstrations, farmer interactions, scientific meetings, workshops and other ICAR events.

The agency is required to arrange the necessary equipment for live coverage, photography and videography at its own cost.

4. Content Creation and Creative Production

The deliverables include:

1. Infographics in English and Hindi
2. Language renditions of infographics
3. Animated GIFs
4. Short-form reels/quickies of up to 20 seconds, 30 seconds and one minute
5. Videos exceeding one minute
6. Language versions of reels/videos
7. Static memes
8. Animated/motion memes
9. Event and conference live coverage

The stated minimum daily deliverables are:

1. 2 reels per day
2. 1 video per day
3. 3 posts per day

5. Presentations and Creative Designing

The agency will also develop infographics, PowerPoint presentations and other creative material related to ICAR events, achievements, schemes, missions and initiatives.

PPTs are required as needed, while influencer campaigns are also listed as "as required."

6. Query Management and Moderation

The scope includes responding to social media users, managing queries, moderating platforms, controlling spam and inappropriate content, and addressing misinformation.

The agency will also undertake media tracking across newspapers, magazines, blogs and social media platforms.

7. Analytics and Reporting

The agency must collect and analyse platform analytics and provide integrated reporting covering multiple social media platforms and languages.

A monthly "Effectiveness Analysis and Media Outreach Report" is required, covering activities, measurable outcomes and insights.

8. Social Media Amplification

The agency will undertake paid and non-paid social media amplification to increase visibility and reach of ICAR's digital communication and campaigns.

9. Influencer Marketing

The selected agency will arrange bloggers and influencers when instructed and develop influencer marketing programmes focused particularly on agriculture, agri-tech, rural development, research, innovation and scientific communities.

Professional Qualification and Technical Evaluation Criteria

This is a high-value, capability-driven tender. The technical proposal carries 70% weightage, with bidders required to secure at least 50 out of 100 marks to qualify for financial bid opening. The four technical sections are:

The QCBS ratio is 70:30 between Technical and Financial evaluation.

Institutional Capability

Technical scoring considers:

1. Corporate longevity in digital media/publicity
2. Government/PSU project experience
3. Repeat government clients
4. Value of the bidder's largest single project

For example, bidders receive the highest score for successfully completing five or more qualifying digital/social media projects for government/PSU clients in the preceding three years where annual contract value exceeds ₹50 lakh per project.

For the largest single project, the highest score is available where the bidder has successfully executed a digital media project valued at ₹1 crore or more.

Reach and Campaign Experience

The evaluation also considers:

1. Combined verified follower/subscriber base
2. Community engagement
3. Interactive public-awareness campaigns
4. Large-scale awareness campaigns
5. Organic reach and impressions

The technical criteria specifically identify verified reach exceeding 20 lakh followers/subscribers across major platforms as the highest scoring category under subscriber-based reach.

Technology and ARM Capability

The bidder's technology capability is assessed on:

1. Social listening and analytics tools
2. Enterprise creative software
3. Security infrastructure
4. Automated Response Management (ARM)
5. AI-powered chatbots
6. High-volume query management
7. Ticketing and escalation systems
8. Cybersecurity and archiving

The evaluation specifically references tools such as Sprinklr, Meltwater, Brandwatch and Adobe Creative Cloud Enterprise.

Manpower and Presentation

The technical evaluation also assesses the proposed leadership, strategy and specialist team.

The tender seeks dedicated leadership and strategy resources, technical specialists, graphic designers, editors and multilingual writers. A senior Team Leader/Senior Strategist with a relevant postgraduate qualification and more than eight years of experience can receive the highest score under the leadership criterion.

Eligibility Criteria

The principal eligibility requirements include:

1. The bidder must be a legally registered entity.
2. Firm/company registration, PAN and GSTIN must be submitted.
3. The bidder must not be blacklisted by government organisations, PSUs or autonomous bodies.
4. The bidder must not be under bankruptcy, liquidation, court receivership or similar proceedings.
5. The bidder should have at least three years of experience in successfully delivering government projects.
6. Relevant work orders and completion certificates must be submitted.
7. The bidder must satisfy the minimum turnover requirement.
8. Eligible MSEs and DPIIT-recognised startups may claim applicable relaxation, subject to submission and validation of supporting documents.
9. The bidder should have an office/head office/branch in Delhi NCR as specified in the buyer-added conditions.

Financial Criteria

Minimum Average Annual Turnover

The minimum average annual turnover is ₹5 crore for the last three years.

The tender requires documentary evidence through certified audited balance sheets or a certificate from a Chartered Accountant/Cost Accountant. The bid document also specifically asks for turnover details for FY 2023-24, FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26, with an alternative earlier year where FY 2025-26 data is unavailable.

Similar Service Experience

The bidder must have successfully completed similar services during the relevant three-year period through one of the following combinations:

1. Three similar completed services costing at least 40% of estimated cost; or
2. Two similar completed services costing at least 50% of estimated cost; or
3. One similar completed service costing at least 80% of estimated cost.

With an estimated cost of ₹1.25 crore, these correspond to approximately:

1. 3 projects × minimum ₹50 lakh each;
2. 2 projects × minimum ₹62.50 lakh each; or
3. 1 project × minimum ₹1 crore.

These calculations are derived from the percentages stated in the tender.

EMD and Tender Fee

EMD: ₹3,75,000

The GeM bid specifies an EMD of ₹3,75,000.

The accompanying tender conditions state that non-exempt bidders are required to furnish EMD equivalent to 3% of the estimated tender value, in the form of Demand Draft/Bank Guarantee in favour of the Project Director, ICAR-DKMA, New Delhi.

EMD Mode

The buyer-added conditions specifically permit an Account Payee Demand Draft in favour of the Project Director, ICAR-DKMA, payable at New Delhi.

The bidder must upload a scanned copy/proof with the online bid and deliver the physical hard copy to the buyer within five days of the bid end/opening date as stipulated.

Therefore, for website presentation, the EMD submission mode can be described as:

Online upload + physical EMD instrument submission.

EMD Exemption

Yes. Eligible MSE/service providers and DPIIT-recognised startups may claim applicable exemption/relaxation subject to the GeM rules and submission of valid supporting documents. The bid itself provides MSE and Startup relaxation for experience and turnover.

Tender Fee

No Tender Fee is specified.

The buyer-added ATC expressly states that asking for any tender fee/bid participation fee is not permitted under the applicable GeM conditions.

Submission Guidelines

The tender is a Two Packet Bid on GeM.

Bidders should ensure that the following are completed before submission:

1. Register/maintain an eligible seller account on GeM.
2. Upload the technical bid and required supporting documents.
3. Upload financial/price information in the prescribed GeM format.
4. Submit firm/company registration proof.
5. Submit PAN and GSTIN.
6. Submit CA-certified turnover documentation.
7. Submit government project work orders and completion certificates.
8. Submit relevant technical proposal/PDF/PPT for QCBS evaluation.
9. Submit EMD or valid exemption documentation.
10. Submit Bid Security Declaration.
11. Submit non-blacklisting and non-bankruptcy declaration.
12. Submit acceptance of GeM and additional terms and conditions.
13. Provide details of the proposed project team and relevant technical credentials.

The technical bid checklist also requires bidder contact details and proprietor/partner/director details.

Important: The tender checklist states that undertakings should be signed after the date of publishing of the tender document.

Important Tender Dates

The official GeM bid records the pre-bid meeting for 7 September 2026 at 4:00 PM and the venue at ICAR-DKMA, Pusa, New Delhi. The bid closing and opening times are recorded as 5:00 PM and 5:30 PM on 12 September 2026, respectively.

Document Checklist for Bidders

Mandatory/Key Technical Bid Documents

☐ Firm/Company/Agency Registration Certificate
☐ PAN Card
☐ GSTIN Certificate
☐ CA-certified average annual turnover certificate
☐ Audited financial statements/balance sheets, as applicable
☐ Government project work orders
☐ Work completion/performance certificates
☐ Similar-service experience documents
☐ Documents establishing largest project value, where claimed
☐ Client contracts/extensions/renewals, where applicable
☐ Social media analytics/follower verification documents
☐ Campaign case studies and performance reports
☐ Technology/software licence evidence, where applicable
☐ Cybersecurity/ISO/CMMI documents, where applicable
☐ ARM/technical architecture and performance evidence, where applicable
☐ Proposed manpower/team details and CVs
☐ Relevant portfolio/design/video samples
☐ Technical Proposal / QCBS Presentation in required PDF/PPT format
☐ Bid Security Declaration on ₹100 non-judicial stamp paper
☐ Non-blacklisting and non-bankruptcy undertaking on ₹100 non-judicial stamp paper
☐ Acceptance of all GeM and additional terms and conditions
☐ EMD of ₹3,75,000 or valid EMD exemption document
☐ Scanned proof of EMD/DD, where applicable
☐ Physical EMD instrument within the stipulated period, where applicable
☐ Contact details of authorised tender representative
☐ Proprietor/Partner/Director details
☐ MSE certificate, if claiming MSE relaxation/exemption
☐ DPIIT Startup Recognition Certificate, if claiming Startup relaxation/exemption

The tender's formal checklist specifically calls for registration, turnover proof, GST/PAN, EMD or exemption documentation, bid security declaration, non-blacklisting/non-bankruptcy certificate, acceptance of terms, government experience, QCBS technical document and bidder/contact details.

Key Compliance Point for Bidders

This tender should not be viewed merely as a routine social media content contract. The technical evaluation places substantial emphasis on government/PSU experience, campaign scale, audience reach, enterprise technology, automated response management, cybersecurity, manpower capability and live technical presentation.

A bidder must achieve at least 50 technical marks out of 100 to proceed to financial bid opening. The final selection is based on a 70:30 QCBS model, making technical strength particularly important.

The buyer has also specified a 4% performance security, with the tender terms providing for DD/BG in favour of the Project Director, ICAR-DKMA.

Consultation & Advisory

For consultation and advisory, please call or WhatsApp: 9630030343
Email: support@skillcouncils.com