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What is an OEM authorisation certificate and when is it needed?
An OEM authorisation, often called a manufacturer authorisation form or MAF, is the manufacturer's letter confirming that you are authorised to offer its product in that bid and that warranty and support will be honoured. Bids for branded goods placed by dealers and resellers ask for it, one per OEM, in the bid's own format when one is prescribed.
When a bid asks for it
- You are not the manufacturer of the product you offer.
- The bid document lists an OEM authorisation among the required documents or in its terms.
- Some buyers also ask for a separate dealership certificate alongside the MAF.
What a valid one contains
- Issued by the OEM on its letterhead, addressed to the buyer, naming the bid number.
- Names the bidder as authorised for the products offered, with the OEM's warranty and support undertaking.
- Signed by an OEM signatory, dated within the bid's validity, in the bid's prescribed format where there is one.
Common mistakes
- A generic dealership letter not tied to the bid number.
- An MAF for one OEM when the bid offers products of two.
- An expired or undated letter.
Where iBid.Win helps
The Company Portfolio stores each OEM's authorisation and dealership certificate, reads issue and expiry dates out of them, and reminds you before one lapses.
Frequently asked
Does a manufacturer need an OEM authorisation?
No. The manufacturer bidding for its own product is the OEM; the requirement is for dealers and resellers.
Can one MAF cover several bids?
Bids usually require the MAF to name the bid. An OEM may issue a general authorisation, but check the bid's format.
Who signs the MAF?
An authorised signatory of the OEM, not the bidder.
Last checked 08 September 2026. Written from GeM's published process and this platform's own rules; the bid document and the GeM portal are the authority on any date or amount.