The verdict in three sentences
For a municipality of 45,000 residents, a website redesign with online services costs EUR 40,000 to 110,000 (about CAD 60,000 to 165,000) in 2026, plus maintenance of EUR 8,000 to 15,000 a year. Procurement thresholds drive the process: below the public tender threshold, a simpler procedure with invited quotes keeps the timeline short, which is why many municipalities size delivery and maintenance carefully. Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA, Quebec standard SGQRI 008 for public bodies, the French RGAA 4.1 in France) must carry weight in scoring, not just appear in the specifications.
What a municipal website costs in 2026
| Item | Range | Points to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery and resident workshops | EUR 3,000 to 8,000 | Resident panel, departments, elected officials |
| Design and digital style guide | EUR 6,000 to 15,000 | Consistency with the territorial brand |
| CMS development (often open source) | EUR 15,000 to 45,000 | Drupal, WordPress, Typo3, headless CMS |
| Online services and forms | EUR 6,000 to 20,000 | Citizen login, 311 requests, appointment booking |
| Accessibility compliance | EUR 4,000 to 10,000 | Audit, fixes, statement, multi-year plan |
| Content migration and training | EUR 3,000 to 8,000 | 500 to 1,500 pages, training 15 to 40 editors |
| Sovereign or Canadian hosting | EUR 3,000 to 6,000 a year | Frequent IT department requirement |
| Delivery total | EUR 40,000 to 110,000 | 6 to 9 months after contract award |
Application maintenance covers fixes, security updates and a block of improvement hours: EUR 8,000 to 15,000 a year for this size.
Which procedure to choose
The logic is the same in France and Quebec: the estimated contract value sets the procedure. Figures below follow the French framework of the original brief; in Quebec, municipalities must issue a public call for tenders above roughly CAD 120,000 (indexed every two years) and invite at least two suppliers in the band below.
| Estimated value (full term) | Procedure | Advertising | Typical consultation time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under EUR 40,000 | Direct award possible | Optional, 3 quotes advised | 2 to 4 weeks |
| EUR 40,000 to 90,000 | Adapted procedure | Flexible, buyer profile | 5 to 8 weeks |
| EUR 90,000 to EU threshold | Adapted procedure with formal notice | Official journal + buyer profile | 8 to 10 weeks |
| Above EU threshold | Formal tender | National and EU journals | 12 to 16 weeks |
Careful: the value compared to thresholds includes delivery and maintenance over the full contract term. A EUR 70,000 site with 4 years of maintenance at EUR 10,000 totals EUR 110,000 and moves up a band. Artificial splitting is forbidden, but a framework agreement with a well-sized maximum remains the most common solution. Check the thresholds in force at publication.
Timeline and scoring criteria
Typical calendar for a launch in autumn 2027:
| Step | Period | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Drafting specifications and rules | October to November 2026 | Tender documents |
| Publication and bidder questions | December 2026 | Answers shared with all bidders |
| Bid analysis and interviews | January 2027 | Evaluation report |
| Contract award | February 2027 | Notice to proceed |
| Design and development | March to July 2027 | Acceptance testing, accessibility audit |
| Launch | September 2027 | Accessibility statement published |
A weighting that works for a public website: technical value 60 % (methodology 20, accessibility 15, online services 15, references 10), price 35 %, timeline 5 %. Require a mock-up of a service request page in the bid: it is the best indicator of accessibility quality.
Mini case study
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Laurent, director general of a 45,000-resident regional municipality, estimates EUR 72,000 for delivery and EUR 11,000 a year of maintenance over 3 years, so EUR 105,000. He runs an adapted procedure with formal notice. The current site generates 2,400 calls a month to the front desk for simple requests (waste collection, school enrolment, permits). With online services he targets 30 % fewer calls, so 720 fewer 6-minute calls a month: 72 staff hours recovered monthly, about EUR 2,100 fully loaded. Over 3 years that is EUR 75,600, more than the delivery cost.
FAQ
Does accessibility law apply to a small municipality?
In France, every local authority must publish an accessibility statement and multi-year plan, with fines up to EUR 50,000. In Quebec, provincial public bodies follow SGQRI 008 and municipalities increasingly adopt WCAG 2.1 AA in their specifications.
Is open source mandatory?
No, but it is encouraged and limits lock-in. More than 60 % of municipalities this size choose Drupal, WordPress or Typo3, with zero licence cost.
How long from publication to launch?
Budget 10 to 12 months in total: 3 to 4 months of consultation and 6 to 8 months of delivery. Election periods and budget cycles often shift dates.
Should we require sovereign hosting?
It is strongly advised as soon as online services handle personal data. Qualified hosting costs EUR 3,000 to 6,000 a year, EUR 1,000 to 2,000 more than standard hosting.
Can an out-of-region agency bid?
Yes, geographic preference is generally not allowed in public procurement. A remote agency running 3 to 4 on-site workshops over the project is a common setup.
Let's scope your project. Share your population, priority online services and tender calendar, and we will help you estimate the need between EUR 40,000 and 110,000 and prepare an accessibility-compliant bid. 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.
