The verdict in three sentences
For an international NGO website in Berlin, the agency RFP is won upstream, with precise terms of reference and a scoring grid published before bids arrive. Once donor-funded spend passes roughly 5,000 EUR, most funders require at least 3 quotes, traceable scoring and a written award decision. Plan 10 to 16 weeks from publishing the ToR to launch, including 3 to 4 weeks for the RFP itself.
Donor procurement rules come first
The communications lead is rarely free to pick a supplier. Institutional funders (EU programmes, German federal ministries, UN agencies, US foundations) set competition thresholds, and an audit can reject a poorly documented expense. German public money often brings the UVgO procurement rules into play. Before drafting anything, get the procurement manual that applies to the grant.
| Estimated contract value | Common procedure | Records to keep | RFP duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5,000 EUR | Direct award or 1 compared quote | Quote, purchase order | 1 week |
| 5,000 to 25,000 EUR | Restricted RFP, 3 quotes minimum | ToR, 3 bids, grid, award note | 3 to 4 weeks |
| 25,000 to 100,000 EUR | Open or restricted tender | Published notice, bids, evaluation panel | 5 to 8 weeks |
| Over 100,000 EUR | International or EU-wide tender | Full file, funder no-objection | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Contract amendment | Based on cumulative value | Written justification | variable |
These thresholds are 2026 orders of magnitude; each funder sets its own, and theirs always prevail.
Terms of reference that produce comparable bids
Vague ToR produce bids you cannot compare, one at 6,000 EUR and another at 45,000 EUR. An NGO website ToR should cover the context and audiences (funders, partners, beneficiaries, press), the target sitemap with page and template counts, the German and English versions with who translates what, accessibility requirements (WCAG 2.1 AA, and BITV 2.0 where federal funding applies), the CMS and the editorial approval workflow, hosting in the EU, backups and security, GDPR compliance for donor and newsletter data, and finally the schedule, deliverables and milestone payments.
Attach three reference sites and existing content (annual reports, programme sheets, photo library) so agencies price the same scope.
The technical and financial scoring grid
The most common weighting for this kind of service is 70 % technical and 30 % financial, with a minimum technical score (often 70 out of 100) before the price envelope is opened.
| Criterion | Weight | What is assessed |
|---|---|---|
| Understanding of needs and method | 20 points | Audience analysis, proposed sitemap |
| NGO or institutional references | 15 points | 2 to 3 comparable live sites |
| Proposed team | 10 points | Named project lead, developer, designer |
| Accessibility and bilingual delivery | 10 points | WCAG AA commitment, translation workflow |
| Security, hosting, maintenance | 10 points | Backups, updates, SLA, EU hosting |
| Schedule and deliverables | 5 points | Realistic milestones over 10 to 16 weeks |
| Financial offer | 30 points | Score = lowest price / evaluated price × 30 |
In the Berlin market, a bilingual NGO site of 20 to 40 pages costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, between 15,000 and 60,000 EUR depending on integrations (online donations, project maps, document library). Kolonell answers this kind of RFP on a quote basis, with a technical offer structured around your grid.
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Julia, head of communications at a global health NGO in Berlin-Kreuzberg, receives three bids for a 30-page bilingual site. Agency A: technical score 82, price 32,000 EUR. Agency B: technical score 74, price 22,000 EUR. Agency C: technical score 65, eliminated below the 70 threshold.
Financial scores: A gets 22,000 / 32,000 × 30 = 20.6 points, B gets 30 points. Technical scores weighted to 70: A gets 82 × 0.7 = 57.4 and B gets 74 × 0.7 = 51.8. Totals: A = 78.0, B = 81.8. Agency B wins, and the award note records every step for the funder's audit.
FAQ
How many agencies should an NGO invite?
At least 3 once spend passes the funder's threshold, often around 5,000 EUR. Inviting 4 or 5 protects the procedure if one declines or is eliminated.
Should the budget appear in the ToR?
Showing an indicative envelope, for example 20,000 to 35,000 EUR, makes bids far more comparable. Without it, the gap between bids often exceeds a factor of 5.
What timeline from ToR to launch?
Allow 3 to 4 weeks for the RFP and 8 to 12 weeks for production. The 10 to 16 week total includes translation and sign-off by the board or head office.
Is WCAG accessibility really required?
More and more EU and UN funders require it for public-facing material, and BITV 2.0 applies to many federally funded bodies. Level AA is the benchmark, with a third-party audit costing roughly 2,000 to 5,000 EUR.
How should German and English translation be handled?
State whether the NGO or the agency supplies translation. Professional translation costs roughly 0.10 to 0.18 EUR per word, so 3,000 to 5,400 EUR for 30,000 words.
Let's scope your project. Send us your terms of reference and RFP calendar, and we will prepare a technical and financial offer structured around your grid. 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.