CTMS

Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme

6.4/10

The scheme aims to facilitate Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in marketing their products and services through individual or collective participation in tenders via consortia. It helps MSEs secure bulk orders, improve competitiveness, and access government procurement opportunities.

Central In Kind

States / UT: All India

Ministry / nodal: Ministry Of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

Scheme for: Infra

Scheme profile

DBT (direct benefit transfer): No

Categories: Business & Entrepreneurship

Sub-categories: Sales of goods, services & data protection

Target beneficiaries: Business Entity

Tags: Goods And Services Marketing, Turnkey Projects, Machinery And Technology, NSIC

Details

The "Consortia and Tender Marketing Scheme" is implemented by the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, to support Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in enhancing their market access. The scheme enables MSEs to participate in government and PSU tenders either individually or through a consortium of similar units. Under this scheme, only MSEs registered under the Single Point Registration Scheme (SPRS) of NSIC are eligible. It excludes units engaged purely in trading without value addition. The scheme facilitates participation in open and limited tenders, including nomination-based tenders.
NSIC assists MSEs by forming consortia of similar product manufacturers to secure bulk orders. It also distributes orders among consortium members based on their production capacity. The scheme supports enterprises by arranging Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) and security deposits on a back-to-back basis and helps in accessing credit and raw materials.
The participation limit for tenders is determined based on the higher of 300% of SPRS monetary limit or the last year’s turnover, with provisions for revision based on growth. The limit is reviewed annually. The scheme aligns with the Public Procurement Policy for MSEs, promoting inclusion of MSEs in government procurement, including subcontracting opportunities.

Benefits

  • - Market Access: Facilitates participation in government and PSU tenders. - Consortium Formation: Enables small units to combine capacities and secure bulk orders. - Financial Support: Assistance in EMD and security deposits. - Order Distribution: Ensures fair allocation of orders among consortium members. - Credit Facilitation: Helps in accessing finance for order execution. - Capacity Building: Encourages collaboration among similar MSEs. - Procurement Advantage: Supports inclusion under Public Procurement Policy. Annual Fee Structure of Enlistment & Renewal under Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme: S.No. Category Annual / Renewal Fee 1.If Monetary Limit under Single Point Registration Scheme (SPRS) is up to ₹1,00,00,000/-₹1000+Service Tax2.If Monetary Limit under Single Point Registration Scheme (SPRS) is more ₹1,00,00,000/- and up to ₹5,00,00,000/-₹2500+Service Tax3.If Monetary Limit under Single Point Registration Scheme (SPRS) is above ₹5,00,00,000/-₹5000+Service Tax4..Units owned by SC/ST entrepreneurs are exempted from the enlistment feeN/A5.There will be no fee for the formation of new / renewal of Consortia. However, while at the time of participation in tender by consortia members, enlistment fee mentioned above will be applicable.N/A Service Charges (on line/off line) Open Tender/Limited Enquiries/Nomination Basis/Repeated Orders etc.: The service charges for various types of above said tenders are proposed on the basis of value of tender irrespective of their category: TypeService charges on Bill value before GST (%)Individual2.5Consortia2 Note:
  • In case of micro units, the service charges may be reduced by 0.5% on the above-mentioned charges
  • In case EMD and/ or Security Deposit are arranged by NSIC 1% Additional Service Charges would be charged. The said service charges are excluding GST. The services charges shall be deducted from the payment receipt from the buying department and after deducting eh service charges balance amount may be released to the MSE/Consortia
  • Where the NSIC is required to participate in pre-dispatch inspection team along with the buyer department or other agency, a higher rate of service charge can be levied on case to case basis. Validity of Consortia Agreement:
  • Consortium agreement entered into between the Corporation and Consortiumshall be valid till officially liquidated by all members and the intimation being served on the respective branch that they (Consortium) do not want to continue as a Consortia members. However, in case of inclusion of new member/s or member/s leaving the consortia of change in Constitution of any member , fresh agreement may be obtained. In order to ascertain the change in the Constitution or addition/deletion of the members, a declaration to the effects to be taken from consortia members that their consortium is alive and there is no change
  • Market Access: Facilitates participation in government and PSU tenders. - Consortium Formation: Enables small units to combine capacities and secure bulk orders. - Financial Support: Assistance in EMD and security deposits. - Order Distribution: Ensures fair allocation of orders among consortium members. - Credit Facilitation: Helps in accessing finance for order execution. - Capacity Building: Encourages collaboration among similar MSEs. - Procurement Advantage: Supports inclusion under Public Procurement Policy.

Annual Fee Structure of Enlistment & Renewal under Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme:

S.No.CategoryAnnual / Renewal Fee1.If Monetary Limit under Single Point Registration Scheme (SPRS) is up to ₹ 1,00,00,000/-₹ 1000+Service Tax2.If Monetary Limit under Single Point Registration Scheme (SPRS) is more ₹ 1,00,00,000/- and up to ₹ 5,00,00,000/-₹ 2500+Service Tax3.If Monetary Limit under Single Point Registration Scheme (SPRS) is above ₹ 5,00,00,000/-₹ 5000+Service Tax4..Units owned by SC/ST entrepreneurs are exempted from the enlistment feeN/A5.There will be no fee for the formation of new / renewal of Consortia. However, while at the time of participation in tender by consortia members, enlistment fee mentioned above will be applicable.N/A> Service Charges (on line/off line) Open Tender/Limited Enquiries/Nomination Basis/Repeated Orders etc.:

The service charges for various types of above said tenders are proposed on the basis of value of tender irrespective of their category:
TypeService charges on Bill value before GST (%)Individual2.5Consortia2Note:

  • In case of micro units, the service charges may be reduced by 0.5% on the above-mentioned charges.
  • In case EMD and/ or Security Deposit are arranged by NSIC 1% Additional Service Charges would be charged. The said service charges are excluding GST. The services charges shall be deducted from the payment receipt from the buying department and after deducting eh service charges balance amount may be released to the MSE/Consortia.
  • Where the NSIC is required to participate in pre-dispatch inspection team along with the buyer department or other agency, a higher rate of service charge can be levied on case to case basis.

Validity of Consortia Agreement:

  • Consortium agreement entered into between the Corporation and Consortiumshall be valid till officially liquidated by all members and the intimation being served on the respective branch that they (Consortium) do not want to continue as a Consortia members. However, in case of inclusion of new member/s or member/s leaving the consortia of change in Constitution of any member , fresh agreement may be obtained. In order to ascertain the change in the Constitution or addition/deletion of the members, a declaration to the effects to be taken from consortia members that their consortium is alive and there is no change.

Eligibility

  • Micro & Small Enterprises registered with NSIC under its Single Point Registration Scheme (SPRS).

Or,

  • Micro & Small Enterprises who apply to get themselves registered with NSIC under the SPRS along with all required documents in terms of the scheme.
  • Their factory/unit should be inspected before filing of tender in terms of the Tender Marketing Scheme.

Exclusions

  • The scheme shall not cover unit(s) engaging in ‘trading activities’ without value addition/packing/ branding.

How useful is this scheme?

Public benefit analysis

A practical look at this scheme for citizens

AI-generated insights showing how useful, accessible, and practical this scheme may be — combining deterministic scoring rules with a public-policy LLM analyst.

6.4
/ 10
Public Benefit Score
Accessibility 5.0/10 Moderate
Rural usefulness 5.0/10 Moderate
Application complexity 5.0/10 Moderate
Financial impact 9.5/10 Good
Literacy barrier 2.0/10 Good
Women inclusivity 5.0/10 Moderate
Awareness 7.5/10 Good
Implementation reliability 7.0/10 Good
Bigger shape means a better fit for citizens
  • Accessibility5.0
  • Financial impact9.5
  • Rural utility5.0
  • Awareness7.5
  • Simplicity5.0
  • Inclusivity5.0

What problem does this scheme solve?

The scheme effectively supports Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in accessing government tenders, enhancing their market reach and competitiveness.

Key challenges addressed

  • Facilitates participation in government tenders
  • Helps MSEs secure bulk orders
  • Improves market access for small businesses

Most beneficial for

  • Micro and Small Enterprises
  • Entrepreneurs seeking to collaborate
  • SC/ST owned units due to fee exemptions

Likely challenges

  • Complex application process for first-time applicants
  • Need for pre-inspection of units
  • Limited awareness among potential beneficiaries

Practical insights for citizens

The scheme is practical but may face challenges in rural areas due to accessibility and awareness.

Rural challenges

  • Limited access to NSIC offices
  • Lack of awareness about the scheme

Implementation bottlenecks

  • Need for physical inspections
  • Complexity in consortium formation

Awareness challenges

  • Low awareness among rural MSEs
  • Limited outreach programs

Application analysis

Application mode
Offline office
Documents burden
Moderate, requires specific documents for registration
Verification complexity
Moderate, includes pre-inspection of units
Office dependency
High, requires interaction with NSIC offices
CSC support
Limited
Estimated citizen effort
Moderate, involves filling forms and document submission

Estimated beneficiary reach

  • Rural / urban reach Moderate
  • Gender reach Moderate
  • Target income group Low to Middle Income
  • Occupation reach Business Entities

Benefit analysis

Benefit type
In Kind
Benefit frequency
As per tender participation
Benefit practicality
High, as it facilitates access to government contracts
Financial meaningfulness
Moderate, as it helps secure bulk orders but does not provide direct financial aid
Long-term impact
Positive, as it encourages sustainable business growth for MSEs

Plain-language guidance

The Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme helps small businesses work together to bid for government contracts. It provides support for marketing and financial assistance.

Who should apply
Micro and Small Enterprises looking to expand their market access.
Who may struggle
First-time applicants and those unfamiliar with tender processes.
Best application route
Apply via local NSIC office with required documents.

This intelligence section is generated by an AI policy analyst combined with rule-based scoring. Scores and narrative are estimates derived from the publicly available scheme information shown on this page; actual experience may vary by state, district, and department. Always confirm details on the official portal before you apply.

Application Process

Offline

Step 1: The application form, in the prescribed format (Annexures – A and A-1) for enlistment under the Tender Marketing Scheme is to be submitted by the applicant Micro & Small Enterprise (MSE), duly signed by the authorized signatory i.e. Proprietor/Partner(s)/Director(s) of the firm /company /society, along with the documents mentioned in the application form.
Step 2: Fill the form properly, attach all the necessary documents, and send it to the Concerned/Regional NSIC branch office.

Clarifications

Additional points from the scheme information published on myScheme (not legal advice).

What is Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?

Micro & Small Enterprise in their Individual Capacity faces problems to procure and execute large order, which inhibit and restrict their growth. NSIC accordingly, adopts Consortia approach and forms consortia of units manufacturing the same products, thereby easing out marketing problems of MSEs.

What is the minimum size of a consortia?

Minimum two number of MSEs.

Whether pre-inspection of the unit is mandatory?

Yes, to physically verify the MSEs who wants to supply their goods/services are in production and have the infrastructure to execute the tender in which they want to supply their goods/services.

Whether commitment of the consortia leader with NSIC will be binding on the consortium members?

Yes, Consortium leader so elected would be empowered to interact with NSIC office for participation in tenders and related matters.

Whether Security Deposit is exempted under Public Procurement Policy?

After issuing of Public Procurement Order 2012 for MSEs, the Security Deposit has been abolished.

What is the provision if Security Deposit/Performance Bank Guarantee, deposited by NSIC?

The participating MSEs will provide either Back-to-Back Bank Guarantee or deposit 100% value of Security Deposit for the period of which Bank Guarantee given by NSIC to the Buying Department.

Whether all the consortia members shall be jointly and severally responsible for penalty / damage or only defaulted unit?

Yes.

How much %age of the Monetary Limit under SPRS will be fixed for limit under Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?

300% of the monetary limit fixed for the unit under the Single Point Registration Scheme. While participating in a tender as consortia, the overall limit to be fixed for units operating as a consortium, the limits fixed in respect of individual units, shall be clubbed.

What is the validity period of monetary limit fixed under Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?

The limit fixed shall remain valid for a year and is subject to review/ renewal annually.

Who will bear the charges while participating in the tender under Consortia & Tender Marketing?

All the charges for Bank Guarantee, Security Deposit, Performance Bank Guarantee etc. will be borne by the unit.

Whether NSIC finance under Consortia & Tender Marketing?

Yes. MSEs willing to avail financial assistance for the supplies against each tender made by them can apply under the Bill Discounting Scheme of the Corporation.

What is the minimum percentage for overall procurement of Central Govt. Department/PSUs from MSEs?

Every Central Ministries / Departments / PSUs shall set an annual goal of minimum 20% of the total annual purchases of the products or services produced or rendered by MSEs.

How much percentage is earmarked for MSEs owned by SC/ST under Public Procurement Policy?

Out of annual requirement of 20% procurement from MSEs, 4% is earmarked for units owned by Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes.

Whether Public Procurement Policy allow purchases through NSIC under consortia?

Yes. As per Public Procurement Order 2012 for MSEs which is mandatory from 2015, annual goal of procurement also includes consortia of MSEs formed by NSIC.

How many item are reserved for under Public Procurement Policy?

358 items.

Whether medium enterprises are eligible to avail the benefits under Public Procurement Policy?

No.

What is the price preference (price band) available to MSEs under Public Procurement Policy?

In tender participation, MSEs quoting price within the price band of L1+15 percent shall also be allowed to supply a portion up to 20% of requirement by bringing down their price to L1 price where L1 is non MSEs.

What action can be taken by NSIC in case of default?

The enlistment certificate under the Tender Marketing Scheme can be revoked in case the unit failed to supply/comply order including specification, size, quantity, quality and/or wrong delivery, non delivery, short-delivery, delayed delivery, defective delivery etc. of goods/services.

References

Guidelines
https://www.nsic.co.in/pdfs/CTMS_scheme_revised_06062022.pdf
FAQs
https://www.nsic.co.in/pdfs/FAQ-CTM102016.pdf
Circular
https://www.nsic.co.in/pdfs/IOM_JS_15062023.pdf

Apply

Apply now

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Frequently asked questions

What is the purpose of Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?
Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme is a government welfare initiative designed to support Infra, Business Entity through benefits related to Business & Entrepreneurship, financial assistance, subsidies, social welfare, healthcare, education, or livelihood support.
Who can apply for Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?
Eligibility for Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme may depend on factors such as income category, age, gender, occupation, state of residence, social category, and government-defined beneficiary criteria.
What benefits are offered under Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?
Benefits under Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme may include financial assistance, subsidies, scholarships, insurance support, healthcare benefits, pension support, training assistance, or welfare services depending on the scheme guidelines.
Which department manages Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?
Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme is managed by Ministry Of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and may be implemented through district offices, online portals, CSC centres, banks, or authorised government agencies.
Can users apply online for Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?
Yes, eligible applicants may be able to apply online for Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme through official government portals, authorised service centres, or digital application systems depending on the implementation process.
Is Aadhaar mandatory for Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?
Many government schemes may require Aadhaar verification, identity proof, or linked bank account details for beneficiary validation and direct benefit transfer processing.
Where can users apply for Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?
Applications for Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme may be submitted through government departments, official scheme portals, CSC centres, district offices, welfare departments, or authorised service centres.
What documents may be required for Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?
Applicants may need Aadhaar card, income certificate, residence proof, bank account details, caste certificate, photographs, educational records, or occupation-related documents depending on scheme eligibility requirements.
Is Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme a central government scheme?
Yes, Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme is a central government welfare initiative that may be implemented across multiple states through authorised departments and agencies.
Does Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme provide business loan or startup assistance?
Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme may support entrepreneurs, startups, self-employed individuals, MSMEs, or small businesses through financial assistance, subsidies, credit support, or training initiatives.
Is collateral required under Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?
Collateral requirements may vary depending on the loan amount, implementing agency, financial institution, and government subsidy structure.
Can CSC centres help users apply for Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?
Many government schemes may be accessible through nearby CSC centres, authorised digital service centres, or welfare facilitation offices.
How can users check the latest updates for Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?
Users should verify official notifications, department announcements, application deadlines, and eligibility updates through authorised government portals or implementing agencies.
Can beneficiaries track application status for Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme?
Certain schemes may provide online application tracking, beneficiary verification systems, or status-check facilities through official portals.
Where can users get help for Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme in All India?
Users in All India may seek assistance through CSC centres, district welfare offices, government departments, agriculture offices, social welfare departments, or authorised facilitation centres.
Which nearby public services may help with Consortia & Tender Marketing Scheme applications?
Depending on the scheme, users may require support from Aadhaar centres, CSC centres, banks, hospitals, post offices, or government welfare offices for document verification and application assistance.