Public water utility website tender in Dublin: specification and budget for 2026

The verdict in three sentences

For a regional public water utility serving about 120 municipalities, the realistic budget for a new website is EUR 25,000 to 45,000 excluding VAT, plus support and maintenance of EUR 6,000 to 10,000 a year over 3 years. The total contract value, EUR 43,000 to 75,000, stays below the EU threshold of EUR 221,000 for sub-central authorities, so a national below-threshold procedure applies (in Ireland, advertised on eTenders above EUR 25,000). A precise specification on WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility, the outage map and online bill payment matters more than price: it avoids variations and bids that cannot be compared.

Estimating the budget before tendering

A genuine estimate of the requirement is a duty of the contracting authority. It must cover the full contract term, support included. Here are 2026 benchmarks for a mid-sized utility.

Writing a specification that selects the right suppliers

The EU Web Accessibility Directive requires public bodies to meet WCAG 2.1 AA (via EN 301 549) and publish an accessibility statement. Set a measurable target, for example at least 90 % of criteria met at go-live, and an audit by an independent third party. The outage map is the most visited feature during an incident: specify the data source (the utility's GIS, an export from the operations software), the update frequency and SMS or email alerts by area.

Online bill payment by card or one-off direct debit typically costs around 0.25 % + EUR 0.05 per transaction for a European card, borne by the authority. Ask bidders for demonstrated experience with this integration.

Award criteria and common pitfalls

The most common pitfalls: not separating build and support in the pricing schedule, which makes bids incomparable; forgetting reversibility, which locks you into one supplier; underestimating content migration, often more than 300 PDF documents to make accessible.

Mini case study

Siobhan, chief executive of a regional water services body serving 120 municipalities around Dublin, estimates the requirement at EUR 36,000 for the build and EUR 8,000 a year for support, i.e. EUR 60,000 over 3 years. The body handles 4,200 calls a year about outages and bills, at about EUR 6 of staff cost per call. If the outage map and online payment cut these calls by 35 %, savings reach EUR 8,820 a year, or EUR 26,460 over the contract, nearly half of the total investment.

FAQ

Does a EUR 45,000 website require an EU-wide tender?

No, as long as the total contract value, support included, stays below EUR 221,000 for a sub-central authority. A national advertised procedure is still required, in Ireland on eTenders above EUR 25,000.

Is WCAG 2.1 AA really mandatory for a public utility?

Yes, public sector bodies fall under the Web Accessibility Directive. Monitoring bodies audit sites periodically and non-compliance is reported publicly.

How long does the project take after award?

Allow 5 to 7 months: 1 month of scoping, 3 months of design and build, 1 to 2 months of testing and audit. The tender itself adds 6 to 8 weeks upfront.

Does online bill payment cost the utility anything?

Transaction fees of about 0.25 % + EUR 0.05 per European card payment are borne by the authority. The technical integration costs EUR 2,000 to 4,000.

Should the specification name a specific CMS?

Better to require an open source, maintained and reversible CMS without naming a product. This widens competition and respects the principle of equal treatment of bidders.

Let's scope your project. We help you estimate the requirement and prepare a WCAG-compliant bid for a EUR 25,000 to 45,000 website delivered in 5 to 7 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.