If you want to bid for Indian Railway works contracts, supply services to railway zones, or participate in railway scrap auctions, you need a registered account on the IREPS portal first. Without it, no contractor or bidder can take part in any railway procurement or auction process. The IREPS platform is used by all 18 Zonal Railways, Railway Production Units, Konkan Railway, Metro Rail Corporations and connected PSUs like RVNL, IRCON and DFCCIL.
Tender & Licence is an IREPS Registration Consultant based in Lucknow. The Tender & Licence team helps contractors register on IREPS, prepares technical documents for tender filing, supports clients during IREPS e-auctions for scrap and surplus material, arranges the mandatory Class 3 Organisation DSC that IREPS requires, and guides eligible startups on claiming EMD exemption under the DPIIT Startup India recognition scheme.
We work with clients across Uttar Pradesh — Lucknow, Noida, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Meerut, Gorakhpur, Agra, Kanpur, Ghaziabad and the smaller districts.
This page covers everything you actually need to know about IREPS and railway tender participation. What the portal does, who can register, the kind of opportunities available, the Class 3 Organisation DSC requirement, the registration process, documents needed, technical bid preparation, e-auction participation, the DPIIT Startup EMD exemption benefit that very few competitors highlight, and the common mistakes that block contractors from bidding.

IREPS stands for the Indian Railway E–Procurement System, the official electronic procurement and e-auction portal of Indian Railways. It is operated by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and is the only platform through which Indian Railways floats and finalises tenders for works, services and stores procurement, and also conducts e-auctions for scrap and surplus material disposal.
Every contractor, service provider or bidder who wants to do business with Indian Railways must register on IREPS first. Once registered, you can participate in tenders floated by any railway zone, any production unit, any railway PSU, and any metro corporation that uses the IREPS platform. A single registration covers all these buyers, which is one of the biggest advantages of the system.
For UP-based contractors, IREPS is particularly important because several major railway establishments operate from within the state. North Eastern Railway (NER) is headquartered at Gorakhpur. North Central Railway (NCR) is headquartered at Prayagraj. Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), earlier known as DLW, is at Varanasi. Modern Coach Factory (MCF) is at Raebareli. Northern Railway operates several divisions through UP. Each of these issues regular tenders that local UP contractors are well placed to bid for.
The platform is open to a wide range of business structures.
Sole Proprietorships run by an individual entrepreneur
Partnership Firms registered under the Indian Partnership Act
Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs)
Private Limited Companies and Public Limited Companies
Joint Ventures and Consortiums for larger works
Cooperative Societies in eligible categories
For each of these, the firm needs a valid GST registration, a PAN, a current bank account, and a Class 3 Organisation DSC of an authorised signatory before the IREPS account can be activated for bidding.
We open and complete your IREPS account, link your DSC, configure user roles, and get the account ready to participate in tenders and auctions. This is the foundation step for any contractor who wants to do business with Indian Railways.
We prepare the technical bid documents needed to file a railway tender. This includes compiling eligibility proofs, work experience certificates, machinery and equipment lists, financial documents, qualifying credentials, annexures, undertakings, and ensuring every document matches the format prescribed in the tender. We also handle the online submission of the technical bid on the IREPS portal.
Please note — we handle the technical bid side only. We do not provide financial bid strategy, BoQ rate calculation, L1 estimation or profit margin advice. Pricing decisions remain entirely with you and your in-house team.
We help bidders register and participate in IREPS e–auctions for railway scrap, surplus material, condemned items and other auction lots. This includes account setup for the auction module, EMD compliance, bid submission support, and post-auction documentation.
We arrange the Class 3 Organisation DSC that IREPS mandatorily requires, link it to your IREPS account, and renew it before expiry. More on the DSC requirement is covered in a dedicated section below.
For startups recognised by DPIIT under the Startup India initiative, we help claim the EMD exemption and other procurement benefits available on IREPS. Many startup founders are not aware that DPIIT recognition can save them lakhs of rupees in EMD across multiple tenders. We explain how to qualify, how to claim it, and how to position your startup profile on IREPS.
Civil works, track laying, station building, platform extension, bridge repair, electrification, signal and telecom works, OHE works, building maintenance and similar contracts. Most railway contractors in UP work in this category.
Cleaning and housekeeping at stations, manpower supply, IT services, security services, catering and pantry contracts, parking management and similar service categories.
Supply of operational materials, uniforms, stationery, PPE, hardware, and general purpose goods. Note that technical items like rail fastenings, signaling components and locomotive parts require RDSO vendor approval as a separate process — we do not handle RDSO approval.
Auctions for railway scrap (metal, rubber, plastic, condemned coaches), surplus stores, surrendered material, idle equipment and similar lots. Bidders register, deposit EMD, and bid through the e-auction module.
UP contractors have a unique advantage because several railway zones and production units operate from within the state. Tenders from these establishments are floated regularly and local contractors are well placed to qualify and execute.
North Eastern Railway (NER): Headquarters at Gorakhpur. Covers eastern UP, Bihar and parts of the North East
North Central Railway (NCR): Headquarters at Prayagraj (Allahabad). Covers a major belt of UP and Madhya Pradesh
Northern Railway (NR): Headquarters at Delhi but operates several divisions including Lucknow, Moradabad, Agra and parts of central UP
East Central Railway (ECR): Headquarters at Hajipur but covers Mughalsarai and parts of eastern UP
Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW): At Varanasi, formerly known as DLW. Major locomotive production unit, large tender volume
Modern Coach Factory (MCF): At Raebareli, UP. Significant coach manufacturing facility with vendor and service tenders
RVNL, IRCON, DFCCIL project offices: Active across UP for railway infrastructure works
A single IREPS registration gives you access to tenders from all of these. Contractors based in UP cities are usually able to qualify for works at the nearest zone or production unit because of geographic proximity, ease of execution and supply logistics.
A Class 3 Organisation Digital Signature Certificate is mandatory for every IREPS user. This is one of the most common sources of confusion for new applicants, so it is worth explaining clearly.
IREPS specifically requires a Class 3 Organisation DSC, not a Class 3 Individual DSC. The difference matters.
Class 3 Individual DSC is issued in the name of a person only. It works for personal income tax filing, MCA filings as a director, and some individual procurement portals. It does not work on IREPS.
Class 3 Organisation DSC is issued in the name of the firm or company with an authorised signatory linked to it. The certificate carries both the organisation name and the signatory name. This is what IREPS accepts.
Many contractors arrive with a Class 3 Individual DSC they used for income tax and find that the IREPS portal rejects it. The whole DSC then has to be re-arranged, which adds 5 to 10 working days to the registration timeline.
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Documents Required for Class 3 Organisation DSC
Authorised signatory's photograph and signature
Authorisation letter or board resolution naming the signatory
Firm's PAN and GST Certificate
Firm's incorporation documents (CIN, MOA, AOA for companies; partnership deed for partnerships; LLP agreement for LLPs)
Bank statement of the firm & Address proof of the firm
Class 3 Organisation DSC is typically issued for 1 year, 2 years or 3 years. Most contractors opt for 2 or 3 years to avoid renewing every year. The fee scales with the validity period.
After the DSC is issued, it has to be installed on the system and registered on the IREPS portal under the user profile. We handle this step end to end. Without correctly registered DSC, you cannot submit any bid or take part in any e-auction.
This is one of the most valuable but least known benefits in Indian Railway procurement. If your firm is a startup recognised by DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade) under the Startup India initiative, you are eligible for complete exemption from Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) in Indian Railway tenders, along with other significant relaxations.
The exemption is granted under the Public Procurement Policy of the Government of India and is implemented through Department of Expenditure Office Memoranda that Indian Railways follows.
A firm qualifies as a DPIIT-recognised startup if it meets all of the following:
Once the firm meets these criteria, it can apply for Startup India recognition on the Startup India portal (startupindia.gov.in) and obtain the DPIIT Certificate of Recognition.
When you bid on an IREPS tender as a DPIIT-recognised startup, you submit the DPIIT Certificate of Recognition along with the bid in place of the EMD. The tender system accepts this as compliant with the EMD requirement, and you are treated as a valid bidder without depositing any money.
If you win the tender, the security deposit is still payable per normal rules, but the upfront EMD burden across all your bids vanishes.
For a startup bidding on 10 tenders a quarter with EMDs ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹5 lakh each, the cash flow impact is substantial. Many startups walk away from valuable tenders because they cannot block EMD funds across multiple bids — DPIIT recognition removes this barrier entirely.
The Tender & Licence team does three things on this front:
If your business meets the DPIIT criteria but you have not registered as a startup yet, this is one of the highest-return regulatory benefits you can claim.
The Tender & Licence team follows a structured process refined over numerous client registrations.
We start with your business documents. PAN, GST, incorporation papers, bank statement, address proof and authorised signatory details. We tell you upfront what is needed for IREPS and for the DSC, and what is missing. If your firm is eligible for DPIIT startup recognition, we flag it at this stage so you can apply in parallel.
If you do not already have a Class 3 Organisation DSC, we arrange it. This typically takes 3 to 7 working days depending on document availability.
We create your account on www.ireps.gov.in, fill in firm details, authorised signatory information, bank account details, and tender categories of interest.
The DSC is installed on the system and registered against your IREPS user profile. Without this step, the account cannot bid.
Vendor category, area of operation, classes of works, eligibility credentials and approved categories are configured. For DPIIT-recognised startups, the startup status is marked on the profile so EMD exemption can be applied automatically.
We help you do a test sign-in, verify DSC functionality, and confirm the account is ready for live tender filing.
Keep the following ready before you start. The exact list varies slightly by business type.
PAN of the firm or proprietor
GST Registration Certificate
Aadhaar and PAN of the authorised signatory
Bank account details with cancelled cheque or bank certificate
Incorporation documents — Certificate of Incorporation for companies, LLP agreement for LLPs, partnership deed for partnership firms
MOA and AOA for private and public limited companies
Board resolution or authorisation letter naming the IREPS authorised user
Address proof of the registered office
Class 3 Organisation DSC of the authorised signatory
Email ID and mobile number for IREPS login and OTPs
Work experience certificates if you are registering for works tenders that require pre-qualification
Financial documents like balance sheet and turnover certificate where category eligibility demands it
DPIIT Certificate of Recognition if your firm is a recognised startup, for EMD exemption benefit
A single IREPS registration gives you access to tenders from all of these. Contractors based in UP cities are usually able to qualify for works at the nearest zone or production unit because of geographic proximity, ease of execution and supply logistics.
This is one of the most time-consuming parts of railway tender participation, and it is where most contractors lose otherwise winnable bids. Technical bid disqualification happens when the documents are submitted in the wrong format, key annexures are missing, certificates are uploaded as scans of poor quality, or undertakings are not signed correctly.
What We Prepare on the Technical Bid Side
Compilation of eligibility proofs including past work experience, completion certificates, and credentials
Machinery and equipment list in the tender’s prescribed format
Financial documents like balance sheets, turnover certificates, and bank solvency certificate
Income tax returns of the required years
GST registration and returns as required by the tender
DPIIT Certificate placement and supporting declarations if claiming startup exemptions
Annexures and undertakings drafted in the exact format the tender demands.
Power of Attorney for the authorised signatory where required
Joint Venture or Consortium agreement documentation if applicable.
Final bid compilation and online submission through the IREPS portal
What We Do Not Provide
We focus on technical documentation. We do not handle financial bid strategy, BoQ rate calculation, L1 estimation or profit margin decisions. Your in-house team or financial advisor stays in charge of pricing. Our job ends at making sure your technical bid is bullet- proof and submitted in time.
IREPS E–Auction Participation Support
Indian Railways conducts e–auctions through the IREPS platform for scrap, surplus material, condemned items, idle equipment, retired locomotives and coaches, and other lots. The auction module runs parallel to the tender module on the same portal.
Who Buys at IREPS E–Auctions
Scrap dealers, metal recyclers, plastic and rubber recyclers, machinery refurbishers, and material traders. Many of our UP-based clients are scrap dealers in Lucknow, Kanpur, Ghaziabad and the industrial belt around Delhi-NCR.
What We Do for E–Auction Bidders
Register your bidder account on the IREPS auction module Help comply with EMD requirements for the auction lot
Guide you through lot inspection notices and inspection dates at railway material depots
Support on bid submission through the e-auction screen on the bidding date Post-auction payment and material lifting documentation support
EMD and Security Deposit Requirements
Every railway tender and most e-auction lots require an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) along with the bid. The amount is specified in the tender document and is usually a percentage of the contract value or a fixed amount for smaller tenders. DPIIT–recognised startups are fully exempt from EMD — see the dedicated section above.
EMD can be deposited through online payment on the IREPS portal, bank guarantee, or fixed deposit receipt depending on the tender’s allowed modes. The EMD of unsuccessful bidders is refunded after bid finalisation. The successful bidder’s EMD is usually adjusted against the security deposit or refunded after the security deposit is paid.
The security deposit is paid after a contract is awarded and is typically 5 to 10 percent of the contract value. It is held for the duration of the contract performance and released after successful completion. MSME–registered firms also get partial relaxations on security deposit in many tenders under the Public Procurement Policy.
We guide you on the right EMD mode for your case, but the actual payment is made from your accounts.
Why IREPS Files and Bids Get Rejected
After working on numerous IREPS files and tender submissions, the team sees the same mistakes repeat.
The biggest reason for rejection at registration is using a Class 3 Individual DSC instead of a Class 3 Organisation DSC. The IREPS portal will not register the account and the whole DSC has to be redone.
The biggest reason for technical bid disqualification is format non–compliance. Tenders prescribe exact annexure formats, and submissions that use slightly different formats are routinely disqualified.
Other common mistakes:
Authorised signatory in the IREPS account different from the signatory on the DSC.
Bank account in the firm name not matching PAN and GST records.
Work experience certificates without proper completion details.
Financial documents from years not matching the tender’s requirement.
Scanned documents uploaded at very low resolution.
Annexures missing the signature, stamp or date.
Bid submitted close to the deadline and failing due to slow upload.
DSC expired during the bidding period.
EMD paid but the receipt not uploaded with the bid, or DPIIT certificate not submitted by a startup claiming exemption.
GST registration in a state other than the address claimed in IREPS
A consultant catches these before submission. A self-handled bid discovers them only when the tender opens and the technical evaluation rejects the file.
The Tender & Licence team works with railway contractors and bidders across the entire state of Uttar Pradesh.
We are based in Lucknow with a second office in Gurugram. IREPS registration, railway tender filing and IREPS e-auction support are core services for us. The team handles fresh contractor registration, ongoing tender filing, e-auction participation, DSC arrangement and renewal, and DPIIT startup recognition for clients eligible to claim EMD exemption.
What we do for you: arrange Class 3 Organisation DSC and link it to your IREPS profile; create and configure your IREPS account; map your vendor profile to the right works or services categories; help you apply for DPIIT recognition if eligible so you can claim EMD exemption; prepare technical bid documents for individual tenders you want to file; submit bids on the IREPS portal on time; help with e-auction registration and bid placement; track tender results and post-bid documentation.
Beyond IREPS, we also handle GeM Registration, UP state tender filing, CPWD vendor registration,GST, MSME, Trademark, ISO Certification, BIS Certification, Shop and Establishment, PSARA Licence, FSSAI Licence and other registrations, so a single consultant covers everything your contracting business needs.
IREPS Registration is the process of creating a vendor or bidder account on the Indian Railway E-Procurement System. Once registered, you can take part in tenders, e-auctions and procurement processes of all Indian Railway zones, production units, metro corporations and railway PSUs.
IREPS stands for Indian Railway E-Procurement System.
Sole proprietorships, partnership firms, LLPs, private and public limited companies, joint ventures and cooperative societies can register on IREPS, provided they have a valid PAN, GST registration, bank account and Class 3 Organisation DSC.
IREPS requires a Class 3 Organisation DSC, not a Class 3 Individual DSC. The DSC is issued in the firm name with an authorised signatory linked to it. A Class 3 Individual DSC used for personal income tax filing will not work on IREPS.
A clean IREPS registration takes 5 to 10 working days, including Class 3 Organisation DSC arrangement, account creation, DSC registration on the portal and vendor profile setup.
PAN of the firm, GST certificate, incorporation documents, authorised signatory’s PAN and Aadhaar, bank account details, address proof, board resolution or authorisation letter, and a Class 3 Organisation DSC. DPIIT-recognised startups should also keep their Startup India Certificate ready to claim EMD exemption.
Yes. If your firm is a DPIIT–recognised startup under the Startup India initiative, you are entitled to complete EMD exemption on all Indian Railway tenders, along with exemption from prior turnover and prior experience criteria in many cases. This is one of the most valuable but least known benefits available to Indian startups bidding for government work.
You first need to obtain a DPIIT Certificate of Recognition from the Startup India portal. The certificate is then uploaded with your tender bid in place of the EMD. The IREPS system and the tendering authority accept this as compliant with the EMD requirement. We help eligible firms apply for DPIIT recognition and use it on IREPS bids.
A firm qualifies if it is incorporated in India as a Private Limited Company, LLP or Registered Partnership Firm, is less than 10 years old, has annual turnover under ₹100 crore in any year since incorporation, is working on innovation or has a scalable business model, and is not formed by splitting or reconstructing an existing business.
No. We handle the technical bid documentation side only. Financial bid strategy, BoQ rate calculation, L1 estimation and profit margin decisions stay with you and your in-house team. Our scope ends at preparing and submitting a fully compliant technical bid.
No. RDSO approval is a separate process for manufacturers seeking vendor approval for specific technical items. We do not handle RDSO approval. For RDSO vendor approval, please consult a specialist.
No. A Class 3 Organisation DSC is mandatory for every bid submission and every e-auction participation on IREPS. Bids cannot be placed without it.
IREPS E-Auction is the online auction module of the portal where Indian Railways sells scrap, surplus stores, condemned material, retired locomotives and coaches, and other auction lots. Bidders register, pay EMD, and bid through the auction screen.
Scrap dealers, metal and material recyclers, machinery refurbishers, surplus traders and similar bidders. Many of our clients are scrap dealers in Lucknow, Kanpur, Ghaziabad and Delhi-NCR.
Earnest Money Deposit is the deposit submitted along with a bid as a guarantee of good faith. It is refunded to unsuccessful bidders and adjusted or refunded for successful bidders against the security deposit. DPIIT-recognised startups are exempt from EMD entirely.
The IREPS portal itself does not charge a registration fee. Costs you may incur include the Class 3 Organisation DSC issuance, consultancy charges and tender-specific EMDs (which are waived for DPIIT-recognised startups).
A Class 3 Organisation DSC is typically issued for 1 year, 2 years or 3 years. Most contractors opt for 2 or 3 years to avoid renewing every year.
Yes. A single registered IREPS account can bid at tenders floated by any of the 18 Zonal Railways, Production Units, metro corporations and connected PSUs that use the IREPS platform.
Yes. The team works with contractors and bidders across all major UP cities including Noida, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Raebareli, Kanpur, Agra, Meerut, Aligarh, Moradabad, Bareilly, Saharanpur and others. Most of the work is handled remotely with physical coordination where needed.
Yes. Many clients work with us on a monthly retainer for ongoing technical bid preparation, DSC management, IREPS portal support and e-auction participation. Get in touch to discuss what level of engagement fits your bidding pattern.
If the DSC expires mid-tender, you cannot submit revised bids or take part in further activity on the portal. We recommend renewing the DSC at least 30 days before expiry to avoid disruption.
No. IREPS is the procurement platform of Indian Railways. GeM is the central government procurement platform used by ministries, PSUs and state departments. Many of our clients are registered on both. We handle GeM Registration as a separate service. The DPIIT startup EMD exemption also applies on GeM, so one Startup India certificate gives benefits across both platforms.
Whether you are registering on IREPS for the first time, filing your first railway tender, planning to participate in an e-auction, applying for DPIIT recognition to claim EMD exemption, or trying to fix a stuck DSC issue, the team can take it forward.
Send us your details and we will tell you what your registration needs, whether you qualify as a DPIIT-recognised startup, which DSC option fits your case, what the all-in cost will be, and how soon you can start bidding.
Call us on +91 7379895262 or +91 8010501995. You can also email us at info@tender- licence.com or message us on WhatsApp.
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