Cactus, Kyndryl make final cut for MeitY's AI tender drafting platform

The race to build the government's AI-powered procurement authoring platform has narrowed to two companies, with Cactus Technology Solutions and Kyndryl Solutions emerging as the only technically qualified bidders.According to official records reviewed by Moneycontrol, the two companies have cleared the technical evaluation stage of the National e-Governance Division's (NeGD) (an autonomous body under the IT ministry) tender, while bids submitted by CoRover, Innefu Labs and NEC Corporation India have been rejected.A month back, The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had selected six companies to provide artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) services for projects across central ministries and government departmentsThe empanelled agencies will be tasked with supporting AI-driven initiatives across areas such as citizen services, data analytics, process optimisation and automation. The arrangement is intended to help government departments access specialised AI expertise through a standardised procurement framework.The empanelment will remain valid for two years, with the possibility of an extension of up to one additional year.The move comes as the government accelerates the adoption of AI across administrative functions and citizen-facing services. By establishing a pre-approved vendor panel and standardising commercial terms, authorities aim to reduce procurement timelines for AI-related projects.The framework will also be available to state government departments, public sector undertakings and affiliated organisations seeking to deploy AI solutions. While these entities can directly engage empanelled vendors, they will be required to keep NeGD informed about such engagements