The verdict in three sentences
A precise RFP halves the gap between the lowest and highest quote, because agencies price the same scope instead of guessing. In 2026, a B2B marketing website in New York costs 12,000 to 45,000 USD depending on page count, design depth and SEO. The real risk is not the headline price but the forgotten line items that come back as 20 % change orders.
The line-item grid to price
A serious quote breaks the budget down by line item. Reject opaque flat fees: ask for the detail below to compare agencies line by line.
| Line item | 2026 range (USD) | Share of budget |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery & UX (wireframes) | 1,800 - 5,000 | 12-15 % |
| UI design (mockups) | 3,000 - 9,000 | 20-25 % |
| Front-end + CMS build | 4,500 - 15,000 | 30-35 % |
| Content & SEO copywriting | 1,200 - 6,000 | 8-12 % |
| Technical SEO integration | 900 - 3,800 | 6-10 % |
| QA, testing, go-live | 800 - 3,000 | 5-8 % |
| Maintenance (12 months) | 1,800 - 7,200 | 10-15 % |
An industrial SME at 7,500 USD gets a standard site; above 22,000 USD you are buying bespoke design, premium content and genuinely worked SEO.
The weighted selection criteria
A good tender scores each agency on a grid. Do not sign with the lowest bidder: price should weigh only 30 %.
| Criterion | Weight | What you assess |
|---|---|---|
| Understanding of the need | 25 % | Reframing, questions asked |
| Price & transparency | 30 % | Per-item detail, no vague flat fee |
| Verifiable references | 20 % | 3 comparable B2B cases, contacts |
| Timeline & method | 15 % | Schedule, milestones, penalties |
| Maintenance & code ownership | 10 % | SLA, code access, portability |
The realistic timeline
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
An honest B2B website ships in 8 to 16 weeks: 2 weeks discovery, 3-4 design, 4-6 development, 2-3 content and QA. Any agency promising 3 weeks is subcontracting or recycling a template with no discovery.
Mini case study
Sarah, marketing director at a B2B software vendor in New York, writes an RFP to rebuild her site. She receives three quotes: 14,000, 22,000 and 40,000 USD. By imposing her line-item grid, she finds the 14,000 USD quote omits technical SEO and maintenance; reintegrated, it rises to 20,500 USD. The 40,000 USD quote includes superfluous 3D design for her market. She picks the 22,000 USD offer, negotiates maintenance at 5,400 USD/year and saves 18,000 USD over 3 years versus the premium offer, for equivalent lead generation.
FAQ
How long does writing an RFP take? Budget 5 to 10 hours for a 12-section RFP. It is the best investment of the project: it saves 15 to 20 % on the final quote on average by removing grey areas.
Should I state a budget in the RFP? Yes, a range (e.g. 15,000-22,000 USD). It avoids off-target bids and lets agencies calibrate scope correctly instead of guessing.
How do I compare quotes from different firms? Impose the same line-item breakdown. Without it, an 12,000 USD quote can hide 7,000 USD of change orders; with it, you compare the same scope across all bidders.
Who should own the code and access? You. Require code ownership, CMS access and database export in the RFP: portability protects you from lock-in to a single agency.
Should maintenance be in the tender? Always. Maintenance at 450-600 USD/month covers security, updates and small changes; omitting it distorts the comparison and creates a nasty surprise at 5,400-7,200 USD/year.
Let's scope your project. Send us your RFP or objectives: we price every line item, no opaque flat fee, for a B2B website between 12,000 and 30,000 USD. 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.
