The verdict in three sentences
For the portal of a 45,000-resident intermunicipal authority, a budget of EUR 30,000 to 90,000 excl. VAT is enough, far below the formal tender threshold of EUR 221,000 excl. VAT: a well-drafted adapted procedure is the right route. What separates a good tender from a bad one is the scoring grid: if price weighs more than 40%, you buy the lowest bid and pay the difference in change orders. Require proven accessibility compliance, price online services separately and score maintenance over 4 years, not just the build.
Which procedure and budget for a local authority in 2026
The chief executive of a local authority often starts from a figure that is too low because the components are not separated. A modern intermunicipal portal combines an institutional site, a calendar shared with member municipalities, online services (waste, childcare, planning, water) and verifiable accessibility compliance.
| Tender component | 2026 range (order of magnitude) | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Institutional portal (design, CMS, 80 to 150 pages) | EUR 25,000 to 55,000 | Structure by competence and by municipality |
| Online services (forms, tracking, payment) | EUR 5,000 to 20,000 | Depends on number of services and connectors |
| Initial accessibility audit (RGAA) and statement | EUR 3,000 to 8,000 | Mandatory, multi-year plan included |
| Content migration and staff training | EUR 2,000 to 7,000 | Often underestimated |
| Sovereign hosting | EUR 1,200 to 4,000 per year | French or European host recommended |
| Corrective and evolutive maintenance | EUR 3,000 to 10,000 per year | Application maintenance with SLA |
| Total build | EUR 30,000 to 90,000 | Realistic timeline 6 to 9 months |
With a 4-year total (build plus maintenance) of EUR 45,000 to 130,000, you stay below EUR 221,000. An adapted procedure published on the national tender bulletin or a regional buyer profile is enough, and it allows negotiation that a formal open tender does not. Consider simple lotting: lot 1 portal, lot 2 online services if you want to open the field to specialist vendors.
The scoring grid that protects the authority
The consultation rules must announce the criteria and their weighting. A poorly weighted grid attracts low-cost bids with no methodology. Here is the grid we recommend for a portal of this size, with sub-criteria that can be checked during bid analysis.
| Criterion | Recommended weight | Verifiable sub-criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Technical value: methodology and schedule | 25% | Workshops with municipalities, reverse schedule, approval management |
| Technical value: accessibility and quality | 20% | Target RGAA rate (100% of applicable criteria), third-party audit, user tests |
| Technical value: mock-up or case exercise | 15% | Answer on a sample page (news, online service) |
| Total price (build plus 4 years of maintenance) | 30% | Breakdown of lump sum, unit price schedule |
| Environmental performance and hosting | 10% | Average page weight below 1 MB, hosting in Europe |
Two traps recur in public sector tenders. The first is scoring the build price alone: a vendor can show EUR 28,000 and then bill EUR 12,000 per year for maintenance. Score the total cost over the contract term. The second is the lack of a reversibility criterion: require an open source CMS or a full content export so you are not locked in at renewal.
Accessibility deserves special attention. Under French law, a local authority must publish an accessibility statement and a multi-year plan. Failure to publish exposes it to an administrative penalty of up to EUR 50,000 per online service. Ask in the technical specifications for an audit on a sample of 20 representative pages and a completed RGAA 4.1 grid.
Timeline: from drafting the tender to go-live
| Stage | Typical duration | Watch point |
|---|---|---|
| Drafting the tender file | 4 to 6 weeks | Involve communications and IT |
| Publication and bid submission | 4 to 5 weeks | 30 days minimum recommended for serious bids |
| Analysis, negotiation, award | 3 to 4 weeks | Interview the top 3 bidders |
| Design and mock-ups | 6 to 8 weeks | Plan the approval by the governing board |
| Development and online services | 8 to 12 weeks | Tests with 5 to 8 real users |
| Acceptance, accessibility audit, go-live | 3 to 4 weeks | Plan redirects from the old site |
Allow 6 to 9 months between the decision and go-live. For a January launch, the tender must go out in April at the latest.
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Mini case study
Illustrative scenario: Thomas, chief executive of a 45,000-resident community of municipalities near Strasbourg, receives two bids. Bid A: build EUR 32,000, maintenance EUR 11,000 per year, so EUR 76,000 over 4 years. Bid B: build EUR 48,000, maintenance EUR 5,500 per year, so EUR 70,000 over 4 years, with a third-party accessibility audit included. Scored on build price alone, bid A wins. Scored on total cost, bid B is EUR 6,000 cheaper and brings the accessibility proof that avoids an extra EUR 5,000 audit. The real saving is about EUR 11,000, or 14% of the contract.
FAQ
Can a local authority award a website contract without publication?
Below EUR 40,000 excl. VAT, publication is not mandatory in France, but reasonable competition must be shown. Above that, an adapted procedure with suitable publication is required, and the EUR 221,000 formal threshold remains far off for this kind of portal.
How much weight should price carry in the scoring?
Between 30% and 40% for an intellectual services contract. Below 30%, comparison becomes fragile; above 40%, you favour bids with no methodology.
Is accessibility compliance really mandatory for a local authority?
Yes, all public authorities are subject to digital accessibility obligations. The penalty can reach EUR 50,000 per undeclared online service, and the initial audit costs EUR 3,000 to 8,000.
Should online services be a separate lot?
It helps once services exceed EUR 10,000 or need business connectors. A separate lot opens competition to specialist vendors but requires coordination between two contractors.
How long should the maintenance contractor be retained?
A 4-year contract (1 firm year plus 3 renewals) is standard. Budget EUR 3,000 to 10,000 per year and a reversibility clause to recover content and code at the end.
Let's scope your project. We help you frame the scope, scoring grid and a realistic budget before drafting your tender, or we answer your consultation. 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.
