Vendor Registration Approval Delayed: What to Do Next

Reviewed on: 2026-05-30.

• GeM
• Central Public Procurement Portal
• MSME Samadhaan
• RTI Online

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When your vendor/supplier registration with a government department is stuck pending for months, here is the complete guide:

1. Step 1: What is vendor registration? (a) vendor registration is the process of registering your business as an approved supplier/contractor with a government department (e.g., GeM — Government e-Marketplace, CPWD, municipal corporations, PSU procurement portals), (b) the registration allows you to participate in tenders and supply goods/services to the government, © the registration is typically online (on the department's portal — with document upload and verification).
2. Step 2: Documents required. (a) business registration (GST certificate, company incorporation / partnership deed / proprietorship proof), (b) PAN (of the business entity), © bank account details (cancelled cheque or bank certificate), (d) previous work experience (completion certificates, purchase orders — for categories that require experience), (e) turnover proof (audited financial statements — for categories that have a minimum turnover requirement), (f) quality certifications (ISO — if applicable), (g) MSME/Udyam certificate (for MSE procurement preference — if applicable).
3. Step 3: Common delays. (a) document verification pending (the verification officer has not reviewed the documents — the file is pending for weeks or months), (b) technical evaluation pending (the technical committee has not met — or has met but not approved), © portal issues (the online portal is not working — or the application is stuck in “pending” status with no reason), (d) missing documents (the department says “documents are missing” — but you have uploaded all required documents), (e) political/bureaucratic interference (the registration is blocked by an influential person — to prevent competition).
4. Step 4: How to get status. (a) check the online portal (login → “Application Status” — note the current status and any remarks), (b) send an email to the registration helpdesk (with the application number — request status and expected timeline), © visit the department office (with a copy of the application and all documents — meet the registration officer and ask for the status), (d) send a written letter (by registered post — to the head of the department, requesting status and reason for delay).
5. Step 5: File RTI. File RTI with the department asking for: (a) the status of vendor registration application number [number] filed on [date] (applicant: [name], category: [category]), (b) whether the documents have been verified (if yes: provide the verification date and the verifying officer's name), © whether the technical evaluation has been done (if yes: provide the evaluation report — if no: the reason for delay), (d) the expected date of registration (if the application is complete and correct), (e) the total number of vendor registration applications pending (as on [date] — and the oldest pending application date), (f) the timeline for vendor registration as per the department's policy (if there is a written timeline — provide a copy).
6. Step 6: Escalation. (a) file a complaint with the higher authority (the Secretary or the Director of the department — with the RTI reply as evidence), (b) file a complaint with the Directorate of Industries (if the department is not responding — the Directorate can intervene), © file a consumer complaint (the delay is a deficiency of service — the consumer forum can order the department to process the registration and pay compensation), (d) file a writ petition in the High Court (Article 226 — the court can order the department to process the registration within a timeframe).
7. Step 7: GeM-specific issues. (a) GeM (Government e-Marketplace) registration: if the issue is with the Caution Money or the vendor evaluation — contact GeM helpdesk ([email protected] or 1800-419-2929), (b) if the GeM portal is not accepting the application (technical issue — file a ticket on the portal and follow up), © if the buyer is not approving the product listing (the buyer has not reviewed the listing — file RTI with the buyer department for the status of the product approval), (d) if the payment is delayed after supply (the buyer has not processed the payment — file RTI for the payment status and the reason for delay).

See EMD Refund Delayed and Find PIO.