Government operational guidelines
OMSS(D) operational guidelines for wheat e-auctions, 2026–27
A wheat-only extraction for ARFMA member mills on the Food Corporation of India e-auction process, deadlines and bidder obligations.
Official document and scope
These operational guidelines follow the Department of Food and Public Distribution OMSS(D) policy referred to in its letter dated 2 July 2026. The official document covers multiple commodities; this ARFMA note extracts only the provisions relevant to the sale and purchase of wheat.
View or download the official guidelines PDF
The stated policy validity is up to 30 June 2027. Stock sold in the final auction must also be lifted by that date. Where the guidelines and the Model Tender Form (MTF) are ambiguous, the document expressly says that the MTF will prevail.
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Who may participate
The wheat-relevant eligible categories stated in the guidelines include:
- bulk consumers;
- flour millers;
- food processors;
- cooperatives or cooperative federations where the scheme permits them.
A bidder must be registered on the designated e-auction platform under the current MTF requirements. The guidelines identify M-junction Services Limited as the current service provider.
Reserve price, depots and regional participation
- Reserve price: the wheat reserve price excludes transportation. Depot-wise reserve rates are to add transport from ex-Ludhiana for Punjab and Haryana wheat, and ex-Bhopal for Madhya Pradesh wheat.
- Depots offered: wheat is to be offered from depots having stock surplus to PDS requirements. The guidelines ask FCI offices to maximise the number of depots for wider outreach.
- Regional participation:a bidder participates separately for each region against that State or region's GST or Trade Tax registration.
- Bid rate: the quoted rate must be at or above the depot reserve price, plus applicable taxes. Minimum and maximum bid quantities continue to be governed by the MTF and policy.
Weekly auction timetable and bidding rules
- FCI Regional Offices are to publish the weekly tender every Friday for an auction on the following Wednesday and Thursday, subject to directions from FCI Headquarters.
- EMD may be deposited from publication of the Notice Inviting Tender up to 6:00 PM on Monday.
- Against one PAN, only one participation is allowed in one bid in a region in each weekly auction, even where there are multiple firms, GST registrations or branches under that PAN.
- A submitted bid may be revised only upward: the rate in multiples of ₹1 per quintal, the quantity in multiples of 1 MT, or both. A bid cannot be withdrawn.
- Offers must remain open for acceptance for seven working days from the e-auction date; otherwise the EMD may be forfeited.
Acceptance, payment and lifting
- Each depot is treated as a separate unit. Bids are accepted on price, time and quantity; where equal rates compete for limited stock, the earlier bid receives priority, followed by higher quantity where equal-rate bids were placed at the same time.
- FCI communicates acceptance by email, and the result is also viewable on the auction platform. The acceptance itself forms the contract; no separate agreement is required.
- The successful bidder's EMD is adjusted against the wheat cost and taxes. The balance must be deposited within seven working days from the day after the acceptance letter, in no more than two instalments.
- A release order is available only after full payment with applicable taxes. Part release orders are not permitted.
- Lifting must be completed within fifteen days after FCI communicates acceptance. A three-working-day grace period is contemplated only for specified unforeseen or operational bottlenecks on FCI's side.
Quality, undertaking and debarment
- Stock is generally sold on an "as is where is" basis. Buyers should review the auction quality specifications and inspect stock before bidding where inspection is permitted.
- Before delivery, the winning bidder must submit the MTF undertaking on ₹100 non-judicial stamp paper to the FCI Divisional Office. Failure may cancel the bid and forfeit the EMD.
- Breach of empanelment conditions or wrong information may lead to EMD forfeiture. Information found incorrect may also result in one-year debarment from OMSS(D) e-auctions.
- A grievance first goes to the FCI General Manager (Region), with an appeal to the concerned Executive Director (Zone). Unresolved disputes go to a court of competent jurisdiction.
What member mills should do before bidding
- Confirm that e-auction registration, PAN, regional GST details, authorised users and email addresses are current.
- Read the current NIT and MTF for the relevant region and depot; do not rely on this summary for bid quantity limits, EMD value, taxes or depot-specific conditions.
- Calculate the delivered wheat cost using the depot reserve price, applicable taxes, onward freight, handling and finance cost before quoting.
- Arrange EMD before Monday's 6:00 PM deadline and ensure funds for the balance can be deposited within seven working days after acceptance.
- Plan transport and storage so the full quantity can be lifted within fifteen days and, for the final auction, no later than 30 June 2027.
हिंदी में सरल व्याख्या
ये दिशा-निर्देश OMSS(D) के अंतर्गत गेहूँ की FCI ई-नीलामी प्रक्रिया बताते हैं। नीति 30 जून 2027 तक वैध बताई गई है और अंतिम नीलामी का गेहूँ भी उसी तारीख तक उठाना होगा। किसी अस्पष्टता में MTF लागू होगा।
- आटा मिलें पात्र बोलीदाता हैं, लेकिन उन्हें निर्धारित ई-नीलामी प्लेटफॉर्म पर वर्तमान MTF के अनुसार पंजीकृत होना चाहिए।
- गेहूँ का आरक्षित मूल्य परिवहन लागत के बिना है। पंजाब और हरियाणा के गेहूँ के लिए ex-Ludhiana तथा मध्य प्रदेश के लिए ex-Bhopal से परिवहन लागत जोड़कर डिपो दर तय की जाएगी।
- साप्ताहिक निविदा शुक्रवार को निकलनी है; नीलामी अगले बुधवार और गुरुवार को होगी। EMD जमा करने की अंतिम समय-सीमा सोमवार शाम 6:00 बजे है।
- एक PAN से एक क्षेत्र की साप्ताहिक नीलामी में केवल एक भागीदारी अनुमत है। जमा बोली केवल ऊपर की ओर बदली जा सकती है और वापस नहीं ली जा सकती।
- स्वीकृति के अगले दिन से सात कार्य-दिवस में शेष राशि जमा करनी होगी और FCI की स्वीकृति की सूचना के बाद पंद्रह दिन में माल उठाना होगा।
- बोली लगाने से पहले संबंधित NIT, MTF, कर, मात्रा सीमा, गुणवत्ता और डिपो की शर्तें अवश्य जाँचें।
অসমীয়াত সৰল ব্যাখ্যা
এই নিৰ্দেশনাসমূহে OMSS(D)-ৰ অধীনত ঘেঁহুৰ FCI ই-নিলামৰ প্ৰক্ৰিয়া বৰ্ণনা কৰিছে। নীতি ৩০ জুন ২০২৭ লৈকে বৈধ বুলি উল্লেখ আছে আৰু শেষ নিলামৰ ঘেঁহুও সেই তাৰিখৰ ভিতৰত উঠাব লাগিব। কোনো অস্পষ্টতা থাকিলে MTF-ৰ বিধান প্ৰযোজ্য হ'ব।
- আটা মিল যোগ্য নিলামদাতা, কিন্তু বৰ্তমান MTF অনুসৰি নিৰ্ধাৰিত ই-নিলাম প্লেটফৰ্মত পঞ্জীয়ন থাকিব লাগিব।
- ঘেঁহুৰ সংৰক্ষিত মূল্যত পৰিবহণ ব্যয় অন্তৰ্ভুক্ত নহয়। পঞ্জাব আৰু হাৰিয়ানাৰ ঘেঁহুৰ বাবে ex-Ludhiana আৰু মধ্য প্ৰদেশৰ বাবে ex-Bhopal-ৰ পৰা পৰিবহণ ব্যয় যোগ কৰি ডিপো মূল্য নিৰ্ধাৰণ কৰা হ'ব।
- সাপ্তাহিক নিবিদা শুকুৰবাৰে প্ৰকাশ কৰা হ'ব; নিলাম পিছৰ বুধবাৰ আৰু বৃহস্পতিবাৰে হ'ব। EMD জমা দিয়াৰ অন্তিম সময় সোমবাৰে সন্ধিয়া ৬:০০ বজা।
- এটা PAN-ৰ বিপৰীতে এটা অঞ্চলৰ সাপ্তাহিক নিলামত কেৱল এবাৰ অংশগ্ৰহণ কৰিব পাৰিব। দাখিল কৰা দৰ কেৱল ঊৰ্ধ্বমুখী সংশোধন কৰিব পাৰিব আৰু প্ৰত্যাহাৰ কৰিব নোৱাৰিব।
- গ্ৰহণপত্ৰৰ পিছৰ দিনৰ পৰা সাত কৰ্মদিনৰ ভিতৰত বাকী ধন জমা দিব লাগিব আৰু FCI-ৰ গ্ৰহণৰ জাননীৰ পিছত পোন্ধৰ দিনৰ ভিতৰত সামগ্ৰী উঠাব লাগিব।
- দৰ দিয়াৰ আগতে সংশ্লিষ্ট NIT, MTF, কৰ, পৰিমাণৰ সীমা, গুণগত মান আৰু ডিপোৰ চৰ্তসমূহ ভালদৰে পৰীক্ষা কৰক।
Important limitation
This ARFMA note is a general member communication. It does not replace the official guidelines, current OMSS(D) policy, NIT, MTF, acceptance letter or professional advice. Bidders should verify every live auction condition on the designated platform and with the relevant FCI office before committing funds.