The verdict in three sentences
A council area of 60,000 residents handling 12,000 requests a year without a shared tool has staff re-keying the same information into 3 or 4 systems, and residents wait 15 days on average for an answer. A vendor CRM solution costs EUR 15,000 to 40,000 a year, a custom build EUR 50,000 to 100,000 plus EUR 8,000 to 15,000 a year of maintenance, both procurable under Irish public procurement rules below the EU threshold of EUR 221,000. The decision rests on interoperability with your existing systems and on WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility under the EU Web Accessibility Directive.
Scope of a council CRM in 2026
Citizen request management covers the whole lifecycle of a request: multichannel intake, triage, assignment to the right section, field work, reply and satisfaction tracking. For a Dublin-area council, expected functions are:
- Single multichannel front door: web form, mobile app, email, front desk and phone captured in one case file.
- Geolocated reports: a photo of a pothole or illegal dumping pinned on the map, duplicates merged automatically.
- Workflow per section: roads, litter and waste, parks, housing maintenance, planning, with target times and escalation.
- Interoperability: MyGovID login, the council GIS, the works management system and document management.
- Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA required under S.I. 358/2020, with a published accessibility statement.
- Dashboards: volumes per electoral area, response times per section, satisfaction rates, publishable on data.gov.ie.
| Function | Vendor solution | Custom build (2026 estimate) | Watch point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multichannel front door | Included | EUR 12,000 to 20,000 | Single entry for desk and phone |
| Geolocated reports | Included | EUR 8,000 to 15,000 | Merging duplicates within 30 m |
| Workflow and escalation | Configurable | EUR 10,000 to 20,000 | Target times per section |
| MyGovID and GIS connection | Add-on EUR 3,000 to 10,000 | EUR 6,000 to 15,000 | Eircode address matching |
| WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility | Declared by vendor | Audit included, EUR 4,000 to 8,000 | Actual compliance to verify |
| Open data dashboards | Standard | EUR 6,000 to 12,000 | Publication on data.gov.ie |
Vendor or custom: the public procurement frame
A council does not just pick a tool, it runs a procurement. Under EUR 50,000, Irish guidance allows a competitive process with at least three quotes. Between EUR 50,000 and EUR 221,000, the contract must be advertised on eTenders. The OGP frameworks can simplify buying listed vendor solutions.
| Criterion | Vendor SaaS | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | EUR 5,000 to 15,000 (configuration) | EUR 50,000 to 100,000 |
| Annual cost | EUR 15,000 to 40,000 | EUR 8,000 to 15,000 |
| 5-year cost | EUR 80,000 to 215,000 | EUR 90,000 to 175,000 |
| Procurement route | OGP framework or eTenders | eTenders advertised |
| Code ownership | Vendor | Council, reusable under open licence |
| Time to go live | 2 to 4 months | 5 to 8 months |
| Fit with local processes | Limited configuration | Full |
Custom software released under an open licence (EUPL or AGPL) can be shared with other local authorities, which splits the cost of future changes. For a council area under 20,000 residents, a shared vendor solution is almost always the better choice.
Mini case study
Siobhán, director of services in a Dublin-area council covering 60,000 residents, records 12,000 requests a year. Each takes an average of 25 staff minutes between re-keying, chasing and replying, or 5,000 hours a year. With custom software at EUR 78,000, single entry and automatic assignment bring this down to 15 minutes, saving 2,000 hours. At a loaded cost of EUR 38 an hour, the gain reaches EUR 76,000 a year. The project pays back in about 13 months, maintenance included, and average response time drops from 15 to 5 days.
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FAQ
How much does citizen request management software cost for a council?
A vendor solution costs EUR 15,000 to 40,000 a year for an area of 60,000 residents. A custom build costs EUR 50,000 to 100,000, plus EUR 8,000 to 15,000 a year of maintenance.
Which procurement procedure applies?
Under EUR 50,000, a competitive quote process is enough; between EUR 50,000 and EUR 221,000, an advertised tender on eTenders. OGP frameworks allow buying some vendor solutions without a standalone tender.
Is the tool WCAG compliant?
We deliver a WCAG 2.1 AA audit and an accessibility statement, targeting over 90% conformance. Public bodies are monitored by the NDA under the EU Web Accessibility Directive.
Can it connect to MyGovID and our GIS?
Yes, MyGovID login and Eircode-based address matching with the council GIS are part of the standard scope. Budget EUR 6,000 to 15,000 depending on the number of interfaces.
Where is residents' data hosted?
In an EU data centre certified ISO 27001, in line with GDPR. The record of processing and the data protection impact assessment are provided.
Let's scope your project. Send us your request volume, sections involved and current tools, and we will prepare a costing between EUR 50,000 and 100,000 aligned with your procurement route. 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.
