### Audit Your Platform's Maturity
Before getting started, assess your B2G maturity:
**Technical checklist:**
- Hosting in France (or EU with guarantees)
- RGAA (French accessibility standard) compliance at AA level minimum
- APIs compatible with public-sector standards
- Chorus Pro-ready invoicing system
- Complete technical documentation
**Organizational checklist:**
- Team capable of responding to tenders
- Documented client references
- Relevant certifications (ISO 27001, HDS for healthcare)
- Enhanced support capacity
### Identify the Right Contracts
Not all public contracts are equal. Target strategically:
**Best contracts to start with:**
- Mid-sized local authorities (50,000–200,000 inhabitants)
- Innovative public institutions (French Tech, public incubators)
- Adapted procedure contracts (MAPA) under €90,000 excl. VAT
- Central purchasing bodies (UGAP, CAIH, RESAH)
**Monitoring sources:**
- BOAMP (France's official public procurement bulletin)
- Digital procurement platforms (achatpublic.com, Maximilien, E-marchespublics)
- TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) for European contracts
### Build Public-Sector References
The public sector places enormous value on existing references. Here's how aquagir and Numérique360 built their credibility:
**1. Capitalize on case studies**
On aquagir, every successful project becomes content:
- **Video interview** of the elected official or technician
- **Project sheet** with context, solution, and results
- **Hard data**: budget, timeline, impact
*Concrete examples*:
- Grand Avignon: securing Île Piot against Rhône River flooding
- Pays Basque metropolitan area: inclusive websites
- Le Havre Seine Métropole: digital twin for asset management
**2. Create an institutional partner ecosystem**
On Numérique360, partners include:
- CEREMA
- Agence Nationale de la Cohésion des Territoires (National Agency for Territorial Cohesion)
- Associations of elected officials
- Professional unions
**3. Participate in sector events**
Both platforms reference and participate in key events:
- CGLE (Local Water Management Forum)
- Forum Numérique des collectivités (Local Government Digital Forum)
- BIM World
- Cycl'Eau (regional water events)
### Master the Art of Tender Responses
The quality of your bid is decisive.
**Winning technical proposal structure:**
1. **Understanding the need** (10%): Rephrase and enrich the specifications
2. **Proposed solution** (40%): Detail features and architecture
3. **Deployment methodology** (20%): Timeline, governance, risk management
4. **Project team** (15%): CVs and references of team members
5. **Service commitments** (15%): SLA, support, ongoing maintenance
**Fatal mistakes to avoid:**
- Generic, non-personalized responses
- Failure to comply with required formats
- Lack of evidence (references, certifications)
- Unreasonable pricing (too low = suspicion, too high = elimination)
### Sustain the Public Client Relationship
Winning a contract is just the beginning. The real difference between a vendor that signs one contract and a partner that signs five is what happens after the award. Client retention in B2G requires:
**Operational excellence:**
- Strict compliance with contractual commitments
- Anticipating evolving needs
- Proactive communication on incidents
- Regular and transparent reporting
**Relationship building:**
- Regular steering committees
- Participation in the client's events
- Proposing continuous improvements
- Shared regulatory monitoring
## UX/UI Best Practices for B2G: Lessons from aquagir and Numérique360
### 1. Navigate by Use Case, Not by Feature
**aquagir** structures its content by **sector-specific themes**:
- Stormwater management
- Flood prevention
- Drinking water production
- Sanitation
**Numérique360** follows the same logic:
- Ecological transition
- Mobility
- Citizens and solidarity
**Why it works**: An elected official or a Director General of Services isn't looking for "a CRM" or "an API." They're looking to "reduce leaks in my water network" or "improve digital accessibility for my municipality."
### 2. Structured Support Journey
Both platforms offer a **6-step journey**:
| Step | aquagir | Numérique360 |
|------|---------|--------------|
| 1 | I put it on the agenda | I launch my project |
| 2 | I get inspired | I get inspired |
| 3 | I build my skills | I upskill |
| 4 | I plan | I run my diagnostics |
| 5 | I secure funding | I find a solution |
| 6 | I implement | I secure funding |
**Why it works**: Local authorities need guidance. A clear journey reduces anxiety and increases engagement.
### 3. Massive Social Proof
- **aquagir**: 564 case studies
- **Numérique360**: 185 case studies
Each testimonial includes:
- Photo of the contributor
- Name and role
- Relevant local authority
- Problem and solution
### 4. Free Access to Value
Both platforms offer for free:
- Personalized support from dedicated advisors
- Diagnostic tools (AquaRepère)
- Funding search engine
- Expert content and methodological resources
**Why it works**: In B2G, trust is built over time. Providing value with no immediate quid pro quo establishes credibility.
## Mistakes to Absolutely Avoid
### 1. Underestimating Administrative Complexity
B2G is not B2B with more paperwork. It is a discipline in its own right that requires specific expertise.
### 2. Proposing an Overly Aggressive Price
An abnormally low price doesn't win — it triggers a verification procedure and plants a suspicion of dumping.
### 3. Neglecting the Application Phase
Even with the best technical offer, an incomplete administrative file leads to disqualification.
### 4. Ignoring the Partner Ecosystem
Integrators, IT services companies, and specialized consultancies are key prescribers. On aquagir, the **marketplace** serves precisely to federate this ecosystem.
### 5. Trying to Move Too Fast
The public sector has its own pace. Forcing the timeline means losing trust — and a lost public contract can't be recovered with a follow-up email.
## Conclusion: B2G, a Strategic Investment
The transition from B2B to B2G takes time: 6 to 12 months of technical adaptation, regulatory upskilling, and a first sales cycle that can last 18 months. But for a tech platform, a single multi-year framework contract can represent hundreds of thousands of euros in recurring revenue.
The success of **[aquagir.fr](/en/projects/aquagir/)** and **[Numérique360](/en/projects/numerique360/)** demonstrates that a well-designed B2G platform can become:
- An **essential hub** for an entire sector
- A **source of qualified leads** for a partner ecosystem
- A **public policy tool** that goes beyond the purely commercial
A platform positioned in B2G benefits from:
- **Client portfolio diversification**
- **Revenue recurrence** through multi-year contracts
- **Enhanced credibility** with the private sector
- **A competitive moat** thanks to market complexity
The key to success? **Treating B2G as a discipline, not as an additional distribution channel.** The companies that succeed are those that invest in understanding the public sector, not those that recycle their B2B pitch.
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*Evaluating a tech target or preparing a B2G transition? Read the analysis on [From B2B to B2G: winning the public procurement market](/en/blog/due-diligence-tech-vibe-coding/), or