FMTTI Report for Government Tenders | What to Check
Why tenders ask for it
When a state agriculture department or a procurement agency floats a tender for tractors, implements, or any other farm machinery, the eligibility conditions almost always ask bidders to attach a test report from one of the four FMTTIs (or one of the identified testing centres working alongside them). It's the government's way of confirming, before money changes hands, that the machine actually performs the way the manufacturer says it does.
That makes the report a gatekeeping document, not a formality. If your report is the wrong type, has lapsed, or doesn't match the exact model and specification named in your bid, a technically strong tender submission can still get rejected at the eligibility stage — before anyone even looks at price.
Check that the report is still "valid" for the category
Validity isn't the same across every machine. Each category has its own Initial Commercial Test (ICT) validity and a separate Batch Test validity, and these were fixed by the Technical Committee specifically to stop reports being treated as permanent once issued.
| Category | ICT validity | Batch Test validity |
|---|---|---|
| Tractor | 3 years | 5 years |
| Power tiller | 3 years | 5 years |
| Combine harvester / crop, sugarcane, cotton picker | 7 years | 5 years |
| Self-propelled machinery | 5 years | 5 years |
| Tractor/power-tiller operated implements | 7 years | 5 years |
| Plant protection — manual/battery operated | 5 years | 5 years |
| Plant protection — tractor/engine operated | 7 years | 5 years |
| Post-harvest technology machinery | 7 years | 5 years |
| Bullock-drawn/manual driven (incl. horticulture tools) | 7 years | 5 years |
Before you bid, check the issue date on your report against this table. A report that was fine for a scheme application two years ago may now sit outside its ICT window and need a fresh Batch Test to stay tender-eligible.
Check which institute's report the tender will accept
There are four FMTTIs — at Budni (Madhya Pradesh), Hisar (Haryana), Garladinne (Andhra Pradesh) and Biswanath Chariali (Assam) — plus 38 further identified testing centres working under the same framework. Most tenders accept a report from any of these, but some state-level tenders specify a preference, and CFMTTI Budni specifically carries the national tractor type-approval mandate, so tractor bids should check whether that particular report is expected. It's also worth knowing that BIS certification and FMTTI testing are not interchangeable — BIS sets the product/safety standard, while the FMTTI report is the performance evidence tenders generally ask for, and some tender conditions require both.
Check the report itself is genuine and matches your model
Test report numbering has changed format over the decades, and tender scrutiny committees do look closely at this. Older reports carry formats like "Imp.40/44"; more recent ones look like "Machine-465/1452"; and the current long format reads something like "ICE/SRFMTTI, ANANTAPUR/2025-26/43/43/1975" — institute, location, financial year, two running serials, and a cumulative serial. Each report is also logged against a register that records the machine name, make and model, test type (Commercial, Batch or Confidential), the report number, and the manufacturer's name and address. Before you submit a report with a tender, it's worth confirming every one of those fields lines up exactly with the model you're bidding — the serial number, the make/model on the report, and the test type the tender is asking for (an ICT report where a Batch report is specified won't satisfy the condition).
If you need a fresh test before the tender closes
If your existing report has lapsed or doesn't cover the model you're bidding, you'll need to apply fresh. The application needs three sets each of the filled application form, technical specification, performance-characteristics declaration, operator's manual, service manual and parts catalogue, plus photographs, drawings and the fee receipt — an application missing any of this is rejected outright rather than held pending correction, so it's worth getting the paperwork right the first time given tender deadlines rarely wait.
What we do
We guide manufacturers and dealers through exactly this check before a tender closes — confirming which report type and validity window the tender actually requires, which institute's report it will accept, and whether your existing paperwork is tender-ready or needs a fresh application. The testing itself is always carried out by FMTTI's own engineers at the government institute; our role is making sure you walk into the tender with the right document in hand.
Frequently asked questions
- It's very commonly listed as a mandatory eligibility document in farm machinery tenders, alongside scheme/subsidy requirements like SMAM, RKVY, PKVY and CHC — but the exact conditions depend on the individual tender, so always check the eligibility clause directly.
- It depends on the machine category. Tractors and power tillers carry a 3-year Initial Commercial Test validity with a further 5-year Batch Test validity; most other categories (implements, combines, plant protection equipment, post-harvest machinery) carry 7-year ICT validity with the same 5-year Batch Test extension.
- Match the report number format and details against the institute's test report register, which logs the machine name, make and model, test type (Commercial, Batch or Confidential), report number, release date, and the manufacturer's name and address — every field should line up exactly with the model you're bidding.