The verdict in three sentences
An industrial group with 600 employees and 4 subsidiaries should budget EUR 35,000 to 90,000 ex. VAT for its corporate website, depending on page count (40 to 120), languages and integrations. A headless CMS becomes the default choice once several teams publish for several subsidiaries. The quality of the tender depends on a scoring grid written in advance, otherwise price ends up deciding on its own.
What the brief must contain
The brief exists to get comparable proposals. It describes the context (business lines, subsidiaries, export markets), the audiences (industrial customers, candidates, investors, journalists, residents near production sites), the functional scope and the technical constraints set by IT.
| Brief section | Expected content | Share of budget |
|---|---|---|
| Group and subsidiary site tree | 40 to 120 pages, shared templates | 20 to 25% |
| Design system and brand | Reusable components per subsidiary | 15 to 20% |
| Headless CMS and workflow | Editor, approver, publishing roles per subsidiary | 15 to 20% |
| Multilingual (DE, EN, FR) | Hreflang, translation, version management | 10 to 15% |
| Careers area | ATS connection, jobs per production site | 8 to 12% |
| Press and ESG area | Releases, sustainability report, CSRD indicators | 5 to 10% |
| Accessibility and security | Audit, CSP headers, load testing | 8 to 10% |
Also state what is out of scope: migration of legacy content, photo and video production at industrial sites, translations. These items alone often represent EUR 10,000 to 25,000.
Budget and timeline by ambition level
| Level | Pages | Languages | 2026 budget | Timeline | Monthly support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group core | 40 to 60 | 2 | EUR 35,000 to 50,000 | 4 months | EUR 600 to 900 |
| Group and subsidiaries | 60 to 90 | 3 | EUR 50,000 to 70,000 | 5 to 6 months | EUR 900 to 1,200 |
| Multi-site platform | 90 to 120 | 3 or more | EUR 70,000 to 90,000 | 6 to 7 months | EUR 1,200 to 1,500 |
| Customer portal option | As needed | 3 | +EUR 15,000 to 40,000 | +2 months | +EUR 300 to 600 |
| Interactive annual report option | 15 to 30 screens | 2 to 3 | +EUR 8,000 to 20,000 | +1 month | Included |
Application support covers security, CMS updates, managed hosting and a package of 4 to 12 days of improvements per year depending on the contract.
The agency scoring grid
A serious tender shortlists 3 to 5 agencies on paper, then 2 to 3 for a pitch. The grid should be shared in the tender rules.
| Criterion | Weight | What is assessed | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 30% | 3-year total cost, support included | Offer 30% below the average |
| Methodology | 30% | Workshops, mockups, acceptance testing, migration plan | Schedule without a testing phase |
| References | 25% | Multi-subsidiary corporate sites, industrial sector | Only small brochure sites |
| Team | 15% | Dedicated project manager, named senior profiles | Unnamed team |
Score each criterion out of 10, multiply by the weight and require a cost breakdown per work package. Without a breakdown, you cannot compare a EUR 48,000 offer with a EUR 76,000 one.
Mini case study
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Marc, head of communications for a 600-employee group based in Berlin, receives three offers: EUR 48,000, 62,000 and 79,000. On the grid, the EUR 48,000 agency scores 6.8 out of 10 (weak methodology, no testing phase), the EUR 62,000 agency scores 8.1 and the EUR 79,000 agency scores 7.6. Adding 36 months of support (EUR 800, 1,000 and 1,400 per month), total costs become EUR 76,800, 98,000 and 129,400. Marc selects the EUR 62,000 offer, saving EUR 31,400 over 3 years compared with the most expensive bid, with a higher score.
FAQ
What budget for an industrial group corporate website in 2026?
Between EUR 35,000 and 90,000 ex. VAT depending on pages, languages and integrations. Add EUR 600 to 1,500 per month for support.
How long does the project take?
Plan for 4 to 7 months, excluding the tender. The tender itself takes 6 to 10 weeks from issuing the brief to the final decision.
Why a headless CMS?
It separates content from presentation and lets each subsidiary publish with its own permissions. It also helps performance, with an LCP under 2 seconds on mobile.
How many agencies should we invite?
Three to five on paper, then two or three for a pitch. Beyond that, review time often exceeds 15 person-days on the client side.
Should accessibility be in the brief from day one?
Yes, with a measurable compliance target. Fixing accessibility after launch costs 20 to 40% more.
Let's scope your project. Send us your brief or the list of subsidiaries to cover: we reply with a costing per work package, a 4 to 7 month plan and a named team. 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.
