The verdict in three sentences
For a Montréal trade association with 1,800 members, a website with a member area, directory and regulatory watch costs between USD 30,000 and 50,000 in 2026, plus maintenance of USD 700 to 1,300 per month. A 40% technical, 30% price, 30% methodology scoring grid protects you from the cheapest bid that recovers its margin through change orders. The RFP must state precise volumes (members, documents, roles) so that responses can be compared.
The expected budget, line by line
Before scoring, you need to know what a realistic bid looks like. Here is the typical breakdown for an association of this size.
| Item | Content | 2026 range (estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery and workshops | 3 workshops with the board, site structure, member personas | USD 3,000 to 5,000 |
| UX/UI design | Desktop and mobile mockups, 12 templates | USD 4,500 to 8,000 |
| Member area | Login, profiles, permissions by membership class, restricted documents | USD 7,000 to 12,000 |
| Member directory | 1,800 listings, search by trade and region, map | USD 4,000 to 7,000 |
| Regulatory watch | Topic sheets, email alerts by subject, archive | USD 3,500 to 6,500 |
| Content migration and CRM | Member import, dues synchronization | USD 3,500 to 6,500 |
| Testing, privacy, launch | QA, privacy register (Law 25), notices, redirects | USD 4,500 to 5,000 |
| Total | USD 30,000 to 50,000 |
A USD 18,000 bid on this scope nearly always means a generic theme with a poorly fitted membership plugin. A USD 80,000 bid signals process overhead or unjustified fully custom development.
The 40/30/30 scoring grid
Publish the grid in the RFP rules. It forces every bidder to answer the same criteria and lets you justify your choice to the board.
| Criterion | Weight | Scored sub-criteria | How to score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical value | 40% | Architecture, security, role management, performance, WCAG accessibility | Demo of an existing member area, written questions |
| Price | 30% | Build cost, 3-year maintenance, unit cost of changes | Formula: score = lowest price / bidder price x 30 |
| Methodology | 30% | Schedule, named team, governance, test plan | 45-minute presentation with the project lead |
| Pass/fail | Yes/No | Canadian or compliant hosting, data portability, Law 25 compliance | Supporting documents |
| Bonus | + 2 points max | References with associations or professional bodies | 2 references called |
Key point: score price over 3 years (build + 36 months of maintenance), not the build alone. Maintenance at USD 1,300 per month adds up to USD 46,800 over three years, sometimes more than the site itself.
The schedule to require: 14 weeks
A credible schedule for this scope: 2 weeks of discovery, 3 weeks of design, 6 weeks of development, 2 weeks of testing and 1 week of launch and training. Require a detailed schedule with board approval milestones, since an association rarely approves anything in under 10 days. Build those internal delays into the 14 weeks or add 2 to 3 weeks of buffer.
Also ask for a unit cost for changes (day rate of USD 650 to 900 in Montréal in 2026) so you can compare what a future event registration module or online dues payment will cost.
Mini case study
Catherine, executive director of a 1,800-member construction trade association in Montréal, receives 5 bids. She compares the two finalists over 3 years.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
- Agency A: USD 33,000 + maintenance USD 1,250/month, i.e. USD 78,000 over 3 years, technical score 26/40, methodology 20/30.
- Agency B: USD 44,000 + maintenance USD 750/month, i.e. USD 71,000 over 3 years, technical score 34/40, methodology 26/30.
Price score: B gets 30/30, A gets 71,000 / 78,000 x 30 = 27.3. Total A: 73.3; total B: 90. The cheapest agency on the initial quote was actually USD 7,000 more expensive over three years, with a lower technical score.
FAQ
Is a trade association bound by public procurement rules?
Most are not, unless they are mainly publicly funded. A formal RFP with a published grid is still good practice and reassures the board about a USD 70,000 commitment over 3 years.
How many bidders should we invite?
Between 4 and 6 agencies. Fewer gives weak price comparison; more means over 3 days of bid analysis.
Should we mandate a technology?
No, mandate outcomes: role management, data export, compliant hosting, accessibility. Bidders justify their technical choice in the proposal, scored within the 40%.
How do we secure data portability?
Require a full export of members and content in CSV or JSON, plus code ownership. A portability clause free of charge beyond 2 days of work is reasonable.
What should USD 700 to 1,300 monthly maintenance include?
Security updates, backups, monitoring, bug fixes within 48 h and 2 to 4 hours of improvements per month.
Let's scope your project. Send us your RFP or your list of needs: we reply with a 3-year cost, a 14-week schedule and a member area demo. 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.
