The verdict in three sentences
For a regional employers' federation with 1,200 member companies, a public site combined with a member area costs EUR 25,000 to 60,000 excl. VAT in 2026, with support and maintenance of EUR 6,000 to 10,000 a year. The RFP must describe the membership CRM sync precisely, because that is what blows up poorly scoped budgets. Invite 3 to 5 agencies with a written scoring grid, and plan 4 months of actual delivery.
The structure of the RFP
A good RFP runs 15 to 25 pages. It describes the need, not the technical solution, and lets agencies propose.
| Chapter | Expected content | Indicative pages |
|---|---|---|
| Context and goals | Federation's mission, 1,200 members, current traffic figures | 2 |
| Audiences and journeys | Members, prospects, board, press, institutional partners | 2 to 3 |
| Target sitemap | Public site, news, events, member area | 2 |
| Member area | Directory, restricted documents, legal briefings, event sign-ups | 3 to 4 |
| Integrations | Membership CRM, emailing tool, dues payment | 2 to 3 |
| Technical requirements | WCAG 2.1 AA, GDPR, hosting, security, performance | 2 |
| Editorial governance | Roles, approval workflow, number of contributors | 1 |
| Tender terms | Timeline, criteria, required documents, budget ceiling | 1 to 2 |
Stating a budget range does not weaken your negotiation. It prevents receiving EUR 15,000 and EUR 120,000 bids that cannot be compared.
What drives the budget
The core cost lies in the member area and its integrations. The ranges below are 2026 ballparks seen on association and federation projects.
| Module | Range excl. VAT | Variation factor |
|---|---|---|
| Public site, 30 to 60 pages | EUR 10,000 to 18,000 | Number of templates, content migration |
| Authenticated member area | EUR 6,000 to 12,000 | Rights per sector or membership tier |
| Member directory | EUR 3,000 to 7,000 | Search by sector, geolocation |
| Restricted document library | EUR 2,000 to 5,000 | Taxonomy, full-text search |
| Membership CRM sync | EUR 4,000 to 15,000 | Existing API or manual export |
| WCAG AA audit and remediation | EUR 2,500 to 6,000 | Number of templates audited |
| Annual support | EUR 6,000 to 10,000 | Volume of changes included |
A project without a CRM API sits around EUR 30,000. A project with two-way sync, dues payment and a geolocated directory often exceeds EUR 50,000.
Running the tender without losing three months
Send the RFP to 3 to 5 agencies, allow 3 weeks to respond and interview the best 2 or 3. Score out of 100: understanding of the need 25, methodology and schedule 20, association references 20, price 25, support and reversibility 10. Require ownership of code and content, plus an exit plan if the agency disappears. A typical calendar: tender in January, choice in February, kick-off in March, launch end of June, before the annual general meeting.
Mini case study
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Sophie, director general of a federation with 1,200 members, picks a EUR 42,000 bid plus EUR 8,000 of annual support. The old setup cost EUR 3,500 a year in licences for the separate member area and took an assistant 6 hours a week for manual file updates. CRM sync removes 5 of those hours, about 240 hours a year, valued at EUR 35 loaded hourly cost: EUR 8,400. With licences removed, the annual gain reaches EUR 11,900, which funds support and pays back the project in under 4 years, before any effect on membership renewals.
FAQ
What budget for an employers' federation website in 2026?
Budget EUR 25,000 to 60,000 excl. VAT depending on the member area and integrations. Support then costs EUR 6,000 to 10,000 a year.
How many agencies should we invite?
Three to five. Beyond that, bid analysis takes more time than it adds, and the best agencies hesitate to answer overly open tenders.
Is accessibility compliance mandatory?
It is for bodies with a public service mission under the European Accessibility Act and the public sector web accessibility rules. Aiming for WCAG AA remains good practice and costs EUR 2,500 to 6,000 to audit.
Should we merge the public site and the member area?
In most cases yes: one login, one back office and one support contract. Merging often saves EUR 3,000 to 5,000 a year in licences.
How long does the project take?
About 4 months of delivery after 6 to 8 weeks of tendering. Plan 3 weeks of acceptance testing with a member panel.
Let's scope your project. We review your RFP or answer your tender: member area, CRM sync, WCAG AA, an indicative budget of EUR 25,000 to 60,000 excl. VAT over 4 months. 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.
