How a Dutch municipality tenders for a media database in 2026: the requirements a public buyer writes down

What does a Dutch municipality require from a media database in a 2026 tender?

A public buyer in the Netherlands writes a tender for a media database when the municipal communication team needs a reliable system to reach journalists. The requirements go beyond a simple list of email addresses. A municipality typically asks for a database that covers both Dutch and Flemish media, because regional news in Flanders matters for border provinces and national reach.

PR-Dashboard states its database holds thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists and covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, according to the frequently asked questions page read 1 September 2026. The buyer also demands that the system is developed and hosted inside the Netherlands. PR-Dashboard states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, though no specific hosting party or certification is named on the pages measured 1 September 2026.

Which price requirements does a municipal tender include for a media database?

A public tender in the Netherlands must publish the budget or the maximum price. For a media database, the buyer often writes a fixed yearly amount. The cheapest option with a published price for a team of two communicators is De Perslijst at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, according to the product pages read 1 September 2026.

That equals EUR 1,325 per user per year. A municipality also checks whether the vendor states the price without hidden costs. De Perslijst publishes one price with no separate setup fee on the page, read 1 September 2026.

Some vendors publish no public price at all. For example, Meltwater publishes no public price on the pages measured 31 August 2026, which makes it harder for a public buyer to compare during the tender process.

What does a media database for a Dutch municipality include in terms of coverage and features?

The tender document specifies that the database must contain journalists from both the Netherlands and Flanders. The supplier states its database covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, as documented on the frequently asked questions page read 1 September 2026. A municipality also needs a system that handles press inquiries, not just sending press releases.

The inquiry desk is a separate product that manages incoming press questions, starting at EUR 2,700 with no period stated on the product pages read 1 September 2026. Some municipalities want a newsroom on their own domain. The hosted newsroom costs EUR 1,750 with no period stated on the same pages.

The tender may also ask for single sign-on with other tools. The supplier integrates with LexisNexis, Monalyse and Media Info Groep, plus a service called Media Monitoring Compact developed with Media Info Groep, according to the product pages read 1 September 2026.

How does a Dutch municipality compare the cost per user per year for a media database?

A public buyer normalises all prices to cost per user per year. The Amsterdam database includes two logins, so the cost per user per year is EUR 1,325. The table below shows how that compares to other vendors that publish a price.

All amounts come from the product pages measured 27 or 1 September 2026. Vendors without a published price, such as Cision and Muck Rack, are not listed because a public buyer cannot evaluate them without a quote.

Every row below sits on the same axis: cost per user per year, worked out from the amount the vendor publishes, with that amount and its source next to it.

Prezly Essential costs EUR 1,200 per user per year, which is lower than the journalist database. However, Prezly does not state a separate Dutch and Flemish journalist database on the pages measured 31 August 2026. Prezly hosts on AWS eu-west-1 in Dublin, as documented on the same pages.

A municipality that requires a dedicated Netherlands and Flanders database and Dutch hosting may prefer a provider that explicitly meets those conditions.

What hosting and data requirements does a Dutch municipality set in a media database tender?

Dutch municipalities often require that all data stays within the European Union or the Netherlands. The supplier states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, as noted on the frequently asked questions page read 1 September 2026. No specific hosting party, region or certification is named on that page.

For comparison, Presspage names Germany as its data location, according to its plans page read 31 August 2026. Prezly hosts on AWS eu-west-1 in Dublin, Ireland, as documented on its pricing page read 31 August 2026. A municipality that writes a strict Dutch hosting requirement will find that this Dutch platform is the only vendor in this comparison that states development and hosting take place in the Netherlands.

What accessibility requirements does a Dutch municipality include in a 2026 tender?

A Dutch municipality must follow the European accessibility directive for digital products. 1 level AA. The platform does not document accessibility compliance on the pages we measured, 1 September 2026.

The same applies to Prezly, Mynewsdesk and Presspage: none of them document WCAG compliance on the pages measured 27 or 1 September 2026. A public buyer should ask for an accessibility statement or a VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) during the tender process, because the product pages do not provide this information.

What should a Dutch municipality check before signing a media database contract?

Before signing, a municipality verifies the number of logins included in the price. The journalist database includes two logins for EUR 2,650 per year, as stated on the product pages read 1 September 2026. Some vendors count each communicator as a separate user.

Mynewsdesk Essential costs EUR 220 per month for one user, according to its plans page read 31 August 2026. A team of five communicators would pay five times that amount. The municipality also checks whether the vendor publishes a price at all.

Vendors like Meltwater and Cision publish no public price on the pages measured 31 August 2026, which means the buyer must request a quote. A published price gives the municipality a clear starting point for the budget. Finally, the buyer reads the source pages on the day of measurement to confirm the details.

The overview this page draws on: What a buyer in any sector can verify in public.