The verdict in three sentences
A chamber of commerce portal in Brussels represents a budget of EUR 25,000 to 45,000 over 16 weeks. The tender file must detail the 3,000-member directory, the online formalities and online dues payment, otherwise bids will vary by a factor of three. A 60 % technical, 40 % financial scoring rule and a 99.5 % SLA written into the contract protect the institution against the cheapest but undeliverable bid.
The functional scope to describe in the tender
A chamber does not publish a simple brochure site: it delivers a service to businesses. The technical file must list each module with a quantified volume so that bidders price the same thing.
| Module | Volume or requirement | Share of budget (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Member directory | 3,000 profiles, search by sector and city, export | EUR 7,500 |
| Dues payment | Bancontact, cards, SEPA direct debit, PDF receipts | EUR 5,500 |
| Online formalities | 6 procedures: certificates of origin, ATA carnets, attestations | EUR 6,500 |
| Events and registrations | Trade fairs, training, 40 events a year | EUR 3,000 |
| News and publications | Economic notes, calls for projects | EUR 2,000 |
| Member area | Profile, invoices, procedure history | EUR 4,000 |
| French, Dutch and English | Content and interface | EUR 3,500 |
| Training and documentation | 8 editors, 3 sessions, guide | EUR 1,500 |
The total comes to about EUR 33,500 before hosting, in the middle of the range. Online formalities and payment are the two items where an undersized bid shows immediately.
The 60/40 scoring criteria
The 60 % technical and 40 % financial rule avoids automatically picking the lowest bidder. Each criterion must be scored on evidence requested in the bid.
| Criterion | Points out of 100 | Required evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Institutional references | 15 | 3 public or chamber portals delivered, certificates |
| Method and 16-week schedule | 15 | Gantt chart, milestones, monthly steering committee |
| Proposed team | 10 | CVs of project manager and lead developer |
| Security and hosting | 10 | Backups, encryption, recovery plan, EU hosting |
| Maintenance and 99.5 % SLA | 10 | Response times, accepted penalties |
| Financial offer | 40 | Total price, detailed annual maintenance cost |
A 99.5 % SLA allows about 3 h 40 min of downtime per month. Require a penalty, for example 2 % of the monthly fee per hour of overrun, capped at 20 %.
Classic tender pitfalls
First pitfall: forgetting data migration. If the directory lives in spreadsheets with duplicates, cleaning 3,000 profiles takes 10 to 15 days of work. Second pitfall: not requiring ownership of source code and hosting accounts in the chamber's name. Third pitfall: underestimating change management. Eight editors trained over 3 sessions is the minimum for the portal to stay alive after acceptance.
Finally, plan a recurring budget: EUR 4,000 to 6,500 a year for hosting, corrective maintenance and minor changes.
Mini case study
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Marc Dubois, secretary general of a chamber of commerce in Brussels, handles 4,200 certificate of origin requests a year at the counter, at 25 minutes per file for one officer. The portal chosen for EUR 34,000 digitises 70 % of these requests. Time saved reaches 2,940 files times 20 minutes, or 980 hours a year. At a loaded cost of EUR 48 per hour, that is EUR 47,040 a year. Dues collection also rises from 58 % to 74 % thanks to online payment. On 3,000 members paying EUR 350, those 16 points bring in an extra EUR 168,000.
FAQ
What budget for a chamber of commerce portal in Belgium?
Plan EUR 25,000 to 45,000 depending on the number of digitised formalities and payment integration. The low end covers the directory, events and dues payment.
How long does the project take?
Sixteen weeks after contract award: 3 of scoping, 9 of development, 2 of data migration and 2 of testing. The procurement procedure adds time, often 6 to 10 weeks.
Why a 60 % technical and 40 % financial score?
It limits the risk of abnormally low bids: a vendor 30 % cheaper but technically weak does not win. It is the most common balance for digital service contracts.
Which payment methods should we integrate for dues?
At least Bancontact, cards and SEPA direct debit, which cover most member companies. Transaction fees run around 0.3 to 1.5 % depending on the method and provider.
What should the SLA include?
A 99.5 % availability rate, a 4-hour response time for blocking incidents and quantified penalties. Also require a monthly availability report.
Let's scope your project. Share your tender file or your needs: we will price the scope, the indicative budget and a 16-week schedule. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
