The verdict in three sentences
A mid-market corporate website is not a brochure project: it is a governance, compliance and reputation asset that commits the board for 4 to 7 months. A rigorous RFP, with a weighted scoring grid and contractual deliverables, turns a vague tender into a controlled purchasing decision. Budget 45 000 to 175 000 GBP depending on scope, and reject any proposal without written commitments on timeline and editorial governance.
The real budget of a mid-market corporate website in 2026
The ranges below are 2026 orders of magnitude for the London market, excluding annual maintenance (allow 12 to 18 % of the project cost per year).
| Scope | Pages | Key features | Timeline | Budget GBP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | 15-30 | CMS, EN/FR, forms | 3-4 months | 45 000 - 75 000 |
| Standard | 30-50 | + press room, careers, dataviz | 4-5 months | 75 000 - 110 000 |
| Advanced | 50-80 | + investor portal, light intranet | 5-6 months | 110 000 - 150 000 |
| Premium | 80+ | + design system, CRM/ERP integrations | 6-7 months | 150 000 - 175 000+ |
The line items that blow budgets: multi-level editorial governance (+10 to 15 %), back-office integrations (Salesforce, SAP, +15 to 25 %) and WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility (+8 to 12 % if handled at the end rather than by design).
The weighted scoring grid to include in the RFP
An objective selection rests on weighted criteria disclosed to bidders. Here is a proven template for a mid-market firm.
| Criterion | Weight | What is assessed |
|---|---|---|
| Technical proposal quality | 30 % | Architecture, CMS, security, performance |
| Design & UX approach | 20 % | Mockups, accessibility, mobile |
| Governance & methodology | 15 % | Editorial workflow, sprints, steering |
| Price | 20 % | Total cost, transparency, options |
| Enterprise references | 10 % | Comparable projects, sector |
| Timeline & guarantees | 5 % | Schedule, penalties, SLA |
Always require: a mockup of the most complex template, a schedule with validation milestones, and a reversibility commitment (data and content export at no extra cost at contract end).
Mini case study
Helen, communications director at a 480-employee industrial mid-market firm in London, runs an RFP for a 45-page site. Without a structured brief, her three previous consultations had produced quotes from 42 000 to 160 000 GBP, impossible to compare. With the weighted grid, she standardises the responses: the 6 bidders price the same scope, and the spread narrows to 70 000-95 000 GBP. She selects an offer at 80 000 GBP over 4.5 months. Estimated gain: 6 weeks of selection cycle saved and zero scope creep during the project, versus +18 % on average on her past projects, roughly 14 400 GBP of avoided overruns.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
FAQ
How long between launching the RFP and going live?
Allow 6 to 9 months total: 4 to 8 weeks for consultation and selection, then 4 to 7 months of production. Planning content migration early, often underestimated, avoids a 3-to-4-week slip.
Should the RFP mandate a specific CMS?
Better to set functional requirements (validation workflow, multilingual, roles) and let bidders propose. A headless CMS such as Sanity or Strapi suits 80 % of mid-market firms, with licence costs of 0 to 15 000 GBP/year depending on volume.
How do we avoid costly change orders mid-project?
Contract the scope page by page and set an included change allowance (e.g. 5 person-days). Beyond that, a published day rate (700 to 1 100 GBP in London in 2026) applies transparently.
What share of budget should go to accessibility?
Between 8 and 12 % if WCAG 2.1 AA is built in from design. Handled as a fix, it can reach 20 % and delay delivery by several weeks.
Does a mid-market firm need an investor section?
If listed or raising capital, yes: annual report, regulated releases and governance. This module adds 12 000 to 30 000 GBP depending on interactivity.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your scope (page count, languages, integrations), indicative budget and target timeline, and we will build the RFP and scoring grid with you. 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.
