The verdict in three sentences
The corporate website of a manufacturing group with 900 employees and 5 subsidiaries should be budgeted at EUR 35,000 to 90,000 ex. VAT in 2026, over 14 to 20 weeks. The price gap comes from three choices the RFP must settle upfront: the number of languages, the depth of the approval workflow and how subsidiaries are integrated. A vague RFP produces quotes you cannot compare and an average change order of 15 to 25% mid-project.
What the RFP must lock in, and what each choice costs
A head of communications writing the tender has to turn every need into a measurable requirement. "A modern multilingual site" cannot be priced. "4 languages (DE, EN, FR, ES), 120 pages per language, translations supplied by the group" can.
| Requirement | Low option | High option | 2026 budget impact (EUR ex. VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Languages | DE + EN | DE, EN, FR, ES | +4,000 to 12,000 |
| CMS | WordPress multisite | Headless CMS (Sanity, Strapi) | +6,000 to 15,000 |
| Editorial workflow | 1 level (editor) | 3 levels (subsidiary, group comms, legal) | +3,000 to 8,000 |
| Subsidiaries | Subsidiary pages in the group site | Subsidiary mini-sites on the same platform | +8,000 to 20,000 |
| Investor and press area | Simple pages | Releases, calendar, regulated documents | +2,500 to 6,000 |
| Job listings | Link to the ATS | Integrated, filterable ATS feed | +2,000 to 5,000 |
| Accessibility | Good practice | WCAG 2.1 AA audit and fixes | +3,000 to 7,000 |
A headless CMS with a 3-level workflow is the standard for a manufacturing group: a subsidiary drafts content, group communications approves the substance, and legal approves sensitive statements (results, safety, environment). Require a live demo of this workflow at the pitch stage.
Typical 14 to 20-week schedule
| Phase | Duration | Expected deliverables |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and workshops | 2 to 3 weeks | Sitemap, personas, content inventory |
| UX and mockups | 3 to 4 weeks | Wireframes, desktop and mobile mockups, design system |
| Development | 5 to 7 weeks | Templates, configured CMS, workflow, integrations |
| Content integration | 2 to 3 weeks | Source-language pages then translations, media, on-page SEO |
| QA and accessibility | 1 to 2 weeks | Test plan, AA audit, load tests |
| Go-live and training | 1 week | Training for 8 to 15 contributors, documentation |
Maintenance then runs at 6 to 12% of the initial budget per year: on a EUR 60,000 project, plan EUR 3,600 to 7,200 a year for hosting, security updates, monitoring and an enhancement allowance.
Agency scoring grid
A grid published in the RFP forces agencies to answer against the same criteria. Here is a proven weighting for a manufacturing group.
| Criterion | Weight | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Understanding of needs and recommendation | 25% | Restatement of subsidiary and hiring stakes |
| Comparable references | 20% | At least 2 multilingual sites for groups above 500 staff |
| Methodology and schedule | 15% | Dated milestones, steering committees, risk management |
| Technical solution and security | 15% | Hosting, backups, GDPR compliance, performance |
| Price and pricing transparency | 15% | Breakdown per work package, person-days, day rate |
| Team and reversibility | 10% | Dedicated project manager, code ownership, documentation |
Three traps recur in RFPs: not specifying who supplies and translates content (up to 30% overrun), forgetting to migrate the 300 existing news items, and asking for a "complete redesign" without listing the integrations (ATS, CRM, newsletter tool).
Mini case study
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Nathalie, head of communications at a 900-employee manufacturing group in Berlin, runs a tender with 5 agencies. She selects a EUR 62,000 project: headless CMS, 4 languages, 3-level workflow, 5 enriched subsidiary pages. Maintenance at 8%, or EUR 4,960 a year. Over 5 years, total cost reaches 62,000 + 24,800 = EUR 86,800, about EUR 17,400 per year. Meanwhile, the new job feed lifts direct applications from 90 to 160 per month. At EUR 1,800 saved per hire versus a recruiter, 10 extra direct hires in the year represent EUR 18,000, which already covers the annualised cost of the site.
FAQ
What budget should a manufacturing group plan for its corporate website?
Between EUR 35,000 and 90,000 ex. VAT depending on languages, CMS and subsidiary integration. A group with 5 subsidiaries in 4 languages often lands around EUR 55,000 to 70,000.
How long does the project take?
Plan 14 to 20 weeks from kickoff to go-live. Translation and legal approval of content alone often take 3 to 4 weeks.
Why choose a headless CMS?
It separates content from presentation, which makes subsidiary mini-sites and 4 languages easier on one platform. It costs EUR 6,000 to 15,000 more upfront but lowers the cost of changes over 5 years.
How many agencies should we consult?
Four to six agencies are enough, with 3 finalists invited to pitch. Beyond that, analysis takes more than 10 days and comparison quality drops.
What annual maintenance budget should we plan?
Plan 6 to 12% of the initial budget per year. On a EUR 62,000 site, that means roughly EUR 3,700 to 7,400.
Let's scope your project. Send us your RFP or a 2-page brief (subsidiaries, languages, integrations, deadline): we price the project per work package with a 14 to 20-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.
