The verdict in three sentences
For an engineering consultancy, the website is the verifiable reference base that an evaluator at a ministry, a public utility or a development bank checks during the technical evaluation of a bid. It must present 70 projects with value, client, scope and year, the CVs of key experts and professional registrations, in the languages set in the quote. A London agency typically charges £8,000 to £18,000 for this in 2026 and a Dubai agency USD 10,000 to 25,000, while Kolonell builds it within its brochure grid of EUR 1,220 to 5,340, in 6 to 8 weeks.
What a tender evaluator checks
A firm of 30 to 60 engineers specialising in water (dams, water supply, sanitation) and roads (alignment studies, bridges, rehabilitation) bids for three kinds of buyers: ministries and their regional directorates, public utilities and agencies (water, power, highways, irrigation), and lenders such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the EBRD or the Islamic Development Bank. In London that also means framework agreements with national agencies, in Dubai government master developers and roads authorities.
Evaluators score methodology, but above all similar references and expert experience. A well built site lets them verify in a few clicks what the paper bid claims.
| Evaluation criterion | Usual weight in technical score | What the site must show | Recommended format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Similar references | 20 to 30 % | 70 projects filterable by field and value | Standard project sheet |
| Key expert qualifications | 40 to 60 % | CVs of team leaders and specialists | Downloadable CV in lender format |
| Methodology | 20 to 30 % | Standard approach by field | Field page |
| Registration and accreditation | Pass or fail | Registration numbers, fields, categories | Compliance page |
| Equipment and tools | 5 to 10 % | Software, laboratory, survey equipment | Resources page |
| Regional presence | Variable | Offices and projects by region | Project map |
These weightings are 2026 orders of magnitude seen in national consultations and lender procurement; each tender sets its own.
A reference site that stands up to an evaluator
Each project sheet mirrors the fields of lender reference forms: title, country and region, client, funding source, works value, assignment value, start and end dates, scope and number of person-months. Filters by field (water, roads, bridges, sanitation), client and value band let an evaluator find "five dam studies above USD 5 million since 2018" in 10 seconds.
The experts page shows key profiles with a photo, a short biography and a downloadable CV in the required format. The site's languages are set in the quote; in Dubai and across the Gulf, an Arabic version with right-to-left layout is often expected by government clients.
| Site component | London or Dubai agency (2026 estimate) | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 12 page site | £4,000 to £9,000 / USD 5,000 to 12,000 | Brochure grid EUR 1,220 to 5,340 |
| Base of 70 filterable references | £2,500 to £6,000 / USD 3,000 to 8,000 | Included in Growth or Premium |
| Arabic version with right-to-left layout | £1,500 to £4,000 / USD 2,000 to 5,000 | Quoted separately |
| Reference sheet generator in lender format | £5,000 and up / USD 6,000 and up | Simple custom application, EUR 3,810 to 6,100 |
| Monthly maintenance | £150 to £400 / USD 200 to 500 | EUR 53 / 114 / 183 |
| Time to launch | 8 to 12 weeks | 6 to 8 weeks |
See also the architecture practice website for competitions, which follows the same reference logic.
The sheet generator, time saved on every bid
A firm bidding on 40 tenders a year rebuilds 10 to 15 reference sheets and 5 to 8 CVs each time. If the site's database is structured, an internal module exports the selected sheets in the required format (Word or PDF) with up-to-date values. That module is a custom application, quoted separately from the brochure site.
Mini case study
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Rania, business development director of a 45-person consultancy in Dubai, bids on 40 tenders a year. Preparing references and CVs takes on average 3 engineer-days per bid, 120 days a year. At a fully loaded cost of USD 500 a day, that is USD 60,000.
With a structured reference base and a sheet generator, she expects to cut this to 1 day per bid. The saving reaches 80 days, USD 40,000 a year. If the win rate rises from 15 % to 18 % thanks to more complete bids, the firm wins one more assignment a year at an average fee of USD 300,000. The site and the generator pay for themselves in the first year.
FAQ
Should project values be published?
Yes, at least as bands, because evaluators compare references with the size of the contract. A range such as "USD 5 to 15 million" is enough when the client does not allow the exact figure.
Can expert CVs be public?
A short public biography, with the full CV behind a form or a private link. That protects personal data and avoids poaching by competitors.
Is an Arabic version essential?
For Gulf and North African public clients it is highly valued. It requires a right-to-left layout and professional proofreading, to be included in the quote.
How long does it take to enter 70 references?
Allow 2 to 3 weeks on your side if the sheets already exist in Word. Full launch takes 6 to 8 weeks.
How should registrations be displayed?
On a dedicated page with numbers, fields, categories and validity dates. An expired registration on display can cost you a bid.
Let's scope your project. Send us your reference list and fields of work, and we will scope the reference base and a 6 to 8 week launch 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.
