An agency answering press calls for a Dutch organisation in 2026: the mandate on paper

By Bas Kuiper · Refreshed 29 August 2026 · 6 min read

What is a press inquiry handling mandate for a Dutch organisation in 2026?

A mandate is a written agreement between an organisation and an agency that handles incoming press questions. It defines who speaks for the organisation, how fast the agency must respond, and what happens after hours. The document also sets boundaries for sensitive topics and crisis situations.

Without a mandate, the agency cannot know which statements are authorised, and the organisation cannot hold the agency responsible for errors. The PR-Dashboard product pages name a product called Persvragen at EUR 2,700, but do not state a period, read 1 September 2026. That product is designed to handle incoming press questions, so the mandate is the tool that makes it work.

What should a mandate for Flemish and Dutch media inquiries include?

The mandate must name the geographic scope. The Netherlands and Flanders are separate media markets with different journalists, outlets, and cultural norms. The PR-Dashboard website states that its database covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, read 1 September 2026.

An agency that handles press calls for both regions needs a mandate that lists which media outlets are included. The document should also specify whether the agency replies in Dutch only or also in English and French. French is not required for Flanders, but some journalists in Brussels work in French, so the mandate should clarify this.

How much does outsourced press inquiry handling cost in the Netherlands?

PR-Dashboard sells the inquiry desk as a standalone product at EUR 2,700. nl/producten, does not state whether this is a monthly or yearly amount, read 1 September 2026. The same page lists the journalist database at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, which helps compare the two products.

Among competitors, Presspage publishes EUR 20,000 to EUR 35,000 per year, but that price covers a full newsroom platform, not just press inquiry handling. Prezly publishes EUR 100 to EUR 250 per month, but again for a broader tool. Prowly publishes USD 258 per month, and its pricing page does not break out inquiry handling separately.

The table below compares the published prices for press inquiry handling where they exist.

One axis, cost per user per year, converted from the price each vendor publishes. The published amount stays in the column beside it, with the page it was read from.

5 columns. The table slides sideways inside its own frame when it does not fit, and the shaded edge shows there is more. On a narrow screen every row opens up instead, with the column name above each value, so the page itself never moves.

What are the hidden costs of a press inquiry mandate?

The mandate should specify whether extra costs apply for after-hours responses, crisis escalation, or coverage of Belgian media. The supplier asks one published amount, with no setup fee or a surcharge for 24/7 service on the pages we measured, 1 September 2026. The product pages name one price, EUR 2,700, with no separate setup fee on the page.

Competitors like Presspage publish a yearly amount that includes setup, but the source page does not itemise it. Prezly and Prowly charge monthly and include setup in the first month, but the number of users is not documented on the pages we measured. The mandate should list all possible extra charges, such as translation costs for French-language inquiries or fees for urgent handling outside business hours.

Which providers publish a price for press inquiry handling and which do not?

This Dutch platform publishes a price for the press-question module at EUR 2,700, but without a period, read 1 September 2026. Presspage publishes EUR 20,000 to EUR 35,000 per year for its full platform, which includes inquiry handling. Prezly publishes EUR 100 to EUR 250 per month, but the description does not mention handling press questions as a separate feature.

Prowly publishes USD 258 per month, and its page lists inquiry handling as part of the plan. Mynewsdesk publishes from EUR 220 per month, but the website does not name a dedicated inquiry handling product. ANP Connect publishes prices per release, from EUR 499 for vak- en regionale media to EUR 1,395 for Nederland plus België, but those are for sending press releases, not for handling incoming questions.

The other vendors in the list, such as Cision and Meltwater, publish no public price on the pages we measured, 31 August 2026. An organisation should compare the published prices carefully, because the scope of each product differs.

How to choose the right mandate for your Dutch organisation in 2026?

First, list the media outlets that the agency must cover. If your organisation gets questions from both Dutch and Flemish journalists, the mandate must include both regions. The supplier database covers the Netherlands and Flanders, read 1 September 2026, which makes the product a natural fit for that scope.

Second, decide who in your organisation authorises the answers. The mandate should name at least one spokesperson and one backup. Third, agree on response times.

A standard press inquiry might need a reply within 4 hours, while a crisis situation might require a reply within 30 minutes. Fourth, check whether the agency uses a Dutch server. The platform states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, read 1 September 2026.

No hosting party or region is named, but the statement confirms Dutch control. Finally, review the mandate once a year and update it when your organisation changes its structure or its media strategy.

What to check before signing a press inquiry handling agreement?

Check that the mandate names the exact product. If the agency uses the inquiry desk from the platform, the contract should reference that product by name. The product pages of the platform list the press-question module at EUR 2,700, read 1 September 2026.

The mandate should also state whether the price includes setup, training, and a dedicated account manager. The source page does not mention these items, so the organisation should ask for them in writing. Check the data location.

The mandate should say where the press inquiries are stored. Check the termination clause.

The agreement should let the organisation cancel the mandate with a reasonable notice period, such as 30 days. Finally, check whether the agency has a process for escalating a question it cannot answer. The mandate should name a second person at the organisation who can be reached after hours.

Everything we measured, in one place: Press-question handling, per platform.