The verdict in three sentences
For a West African subsidiary steered from a Dubai regional HQ, the 2026 market range is about USD 10,000 to 25,000 (AED 37,000 to 92,000) for a 20 to 35 page site in English and French, delivered in 12 to 16 weeks. The RFP is what protects the regional communications lead: it aligns the subsidiary with group brand rules, sets a three-level editorial approval chain and makes bids comparable. Without a 100-point scoring grid, the tender collapses into a price contest, which is often the most expensive outcome.
Eight sections of an RFP that holds up with group HQ
Dubai-based regional teams often manage subsidiaries in Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana at the same time. HQ wants consistency across markets; local teams want a fast, mobile-friendly site that is credible with local partners and regulators. The RFP must reconcile both without leaving grey areas for the vendor.
- Context and goals: subsidiary role, priority audiences (B2B clients, government, candidates, press), measurable success metrics.
- Brand constraints: reference to the group brand book, mandatory components, licensed fonts, logo rules.
- Site map: 20 to 35 pages with the list of templates (home, business lines, news, careers, ESG, contact).
- Languages: English and French, with a translation workflow and an owner per language.
- Editorial governance: local author, local approver, regional HQ approver, with turnaround times.
- Technical requirements: CMS, hosting, CDN, security, backups, WCAG 2.1 AA.
- Compliance: local data protection law (Senegal's Law 2008-12, Côte d'Ivoire's Law 2013-450), cookies, legal notices.
- Bid format: timeline, team, references, maintenance, scoring grid.
| Section | What Dubai HQ checks | What the subsidiary must specify | Risk if missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand and components | Brand book compliance | Allowed local adaptations | HQ rejection at the end |
| 20 to 35 page site map | Consistency across subsidiaries | Country-specific pages | 20 to 30% scope creep |
| English/French | Group terminology | Who translates, who approves | Empty French pages at launch |
| 3-level approval | HQ veto right | Turnaround per level (48 to 72 h) | Posts stuck for weeks |
| Hosting and CDN | Group security policy | Target latency < 100 ms in-country | Slow site on local 4G |
| Local data law | Global compliance | Local registration | Fines and reputational risk |
| Maintenance | Group SLA | Local point of contact | Patches never applied |
Performance in West Africa: put latency in writing
Many subsidiary sites sit on the group's European or Gulf infrastructure. The result is 180 to 300 ms server response from Dakar and 5 to 8 second page loads on average 4G. The RFP should require a CDN with a nearby point of presence, server latency under 100 ms measured from Dakar or Abidjan, mobile LCP under 2.5 seconds and a homepage weight under 1.5 MB.
Ask for a recovery plan too: daily backups, tested restores and 99.9% target availability. These requirements cost little to write and a lot to retrofit.
The 100-point scoring grid
The grid turns a tender into a decision you can defend in front of the regional board. Attach it to the RFP so vendors know how they will be judged.
| Criterion | Points | How to assess |
|---|---|---|
| Grasp of the brief and group governance | 20 | Method note, quality of questions |
| Corporate and bilingual references | 15 | 2 to 3 comparable live sites |
| Technical proposal (CMS, CDN, security) | 20 | Architecture, latency tests supplied |
| Team and plan (12 to 16 weeks) | 15 | Named profiles, milestones |
| Maintenance and SLA | 10 | Response times, on-call |
| Price and quote transparency | 15 | Line-item detail, priced options |
| Data protection and accessibility | 5 | Written commitments |
| Total | 100 | Suggested eligibility threshold: 60 |
On budget, Dubai agencies typically quote AED 60,000 to 150,000 for this scope, while West African and regional agencies land in the USD 10,000 to 25,000 range in 2026. At Kolonell, institutional sites are always quoted on request, after reading the RFP.
Mini case study
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Omar, regional communications director at a logistics group's Dubai office, receives four bids for the Senegal subsidiary site. Bid A costs USD 10,500 but scores 52 points: no CDN, no latency commitment. Bid B costs USD 18,000 and scores 81. Omar prices the risk of bid A: a partial rebuild demanded by group HQ after 6 months (about USD 5,000), plus emergency CDN hosting (about USD 2,000 a year). Two-year real cost: 10,500 + 5,000 + 4,000 = USD 19,500, for a weaker result. Bid B, scored higher, ends up cheaper over time and is easy to defend at committee.
FAQ
What budget should a Dubai HQ plan for a West African subsidiary site?
The 2026 market range is about USD 10,000 to 25,000 for 20 to 35 bilingual pages. The top end reflects three-level approval workflows, integrations with HQ tools and premium CDN hosting.
How long does delivery take?
Plan 12 to 16 weeks, including 2 to 3 weeks of discovery with HQ. Editorial approvals often take 25 to 30% of the calendar.
Can HQ impose its CMS?
Yes, and it often does. The RFP must then state the version, allowed modules and who handles updates, or expect 15 to 20% extra costs.
Does the subsidiary need to register the site with the local data authority?
In Senegal, any site collecting personal data (forms, applications, newsletter) must be declared to the CDP under Law 2008-12. Allow 4 to 8 weeks.
How do we stop the tender from becoming a price-only contest?
Publish the 100-point grid with the RFP and cap the price criterion at 15 to 25 points. Require latency tests from Dakar or Abidjan in every bid.
Let's scope your project. Send us your RFP or HQ brief and we will reply with a method note, an architecture and a 12 to 16 week plan. 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.
