You have a tax incentive.
You need to be able to defend it.

The IRS, HMRC and AEAT review that every line item is at market price. Visualnet generates the Procurement File that proves it — electronically signed with own probative value (Art. 25.2 eIDAS), while your team works as usual.

Create free account → Request a demo
Your market. Your regulatory framework.

The regulatory framework depends on where you produce and for whom.

Domestic production, international co-production or service producer — each profile has distinct regulatory obligations and one common requirement: that every eligible production cost is contracted at real market rate and is documentally defensible.

Domestic production

More than 28 states offer film and TV tax credits. Every program asks the same question: can you prove market-rate spend?

Georgia, California, New York, New Mexico, New Jersey, Louisiana, Illinois — each state program has its own cap, rate and qualifying criteria. What they share is the requirement that every production cost is real and contracted at market rate. If your production involves related entities, IRC §482 gives the IRS authority to reallocate income where pricing was not at arm's length. For publicly traded companies, the CFO certifies the accuracy of internal controls under SOX §302 and §404 — personally.

Regulatory framework

28+ state tax credit programs IRC §482 (IRS) SOX §302 / §404 FCPA (DOJ/SEC)

What Visualnet documents

Visualnet signs for each production the Procurement File documenting every BTL cost line with line-level market coverage, under proprietary Patent Pending methodology (U.S. App. No. 64/036,591). The Procurement File carries electronic signature with own probative value (Art. 25.2 eIDAS) — defensible documentary support to evidence arm's length compliance before state programs and the IRS. Where applicable, a ROAC-registered auditor may issue on that Procurement File an NISR 4400 report as an additional professional layer. 98,000+ verified companies. 139,000+ activity records.

International co-productions

Your European co-producer controls a budget you co-finance. The DOJ can reach into that budget.

When a US production company co-produces with a European partner seeking local tax incentives, it co-finances a budget that a foreign entity controls. The incentive authority can require proof that all costs were at real market rate. Under the FCPA, you are also responsible for payments made by your co-producer — including above-market vendor payments that the DOJ could interpret as irregular. The SEC has launched industry-wide FCPA investigations against major Hollywood studios over their foreign co-production dealings. Your CFO has already certified under SOX that internal controls are adequate. That certification extends to your co-producer's budget.

Regulatory framework

FCPA (DOJ/SEC) IRC §482 SOX §302 / §404 Transfer pricing documentation

What Visualnet documents

Visualnet signs the Procurement File for the European co-producer's BTL — documenting each decision with verified market data, under Patent Pending methodology. The Procurement File carries electronic signature with own probative value (Art. 25.2 eIDAS) — defensible documentary support before the DOJ and the IRS to evidence that vendor payments were at market rate. Where applicable, a ROAC-registered auditor may issue on that Procurement File an NISR 4400 report as an additional professional layer. Your FCPA exposure from your co-producer's decisions, documented.

The problem

The problem is not how you procure. It's how you justify it when required.

Today almost no production gets made without tax incentives. And the bodies that grant them — AEAT, HMRC, US state programs — all demand the same: proof that every cost is real and at market price. If you don't have that documentation generated during the process, reconstructing it afterwards may be impossible.

Visualnet structures procurement from day one so that evidence is generated automatically — without changing how your team works.

Without Visualnet

Scattered emails, informal comparisons, decisions with no documented justification. Manual reconstruction for any review.

With Visualnet

Structured process from day one. Real-market benchmarks signed in the Procurement File. Complete, exportable history, ready for any review.

130,000+ film and TV companies in Spain, Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. You compare with the entire market, not a sample.

Visualnet · Process

How it works for Production Companies

From the first request for proposals to the final award, with documentary evidence at every step.

01

The production company creates the project and assigns the Production Manager

The production company administrator creates the project, defines the production type (feature film, series, documentary...) and assigns one or more Production Managers to manage the requests for proposals. The history begins from this moment.

Production company → creates and delegates
02

The Production Manager selects the budget line and launches the request for proposals

Each request is launched against a specific production budget line eligible for the tax incentive — camera, lighting, transport, post-production, etc. The Production Manager selects the corresponding activity from the catalogue (106 categories), describes the technical requirements and publishes. The integrated AI assistant suggests improvements to the description to maximise response quality. On publishing, the system automatically notifies 100% of qualified suppliers for that activity and geography.

AI assistant · Automatic notification
03

Suppliers submit their bids in a confidential environment

Each supplier sees only their own bid — no competitor can see another's proposal. Bids can be edited until closing. The Production Manager receives real-time notification of each bid received.

Confidential process · No cross-visibility
04

At closing, the market benchmark is signed in the Procurement File

The platform automatically calculates and signs in the Procurement File the market range: minimum, below average, average, above average and maximum. The Production Manager accesses the comparison view. The benchmark cannot be modified after closing — no administrator can alter it.

Benchmark signed in the Procurement File · Immutable
05

Award with documented justification

The Production Manager selects the supplier. If the awarded price exceeds the market average, the platform requires a written justification before confirming. The award is immutable and recorded in the history with its justification.

Immutable award · Procurement File
06

Exportable history for any review

Every action in the process is recorded with an identifier chained to the previous event. Exportable as PDF for auditors, tax incentive bodies, investors or any third-party reviewer. Valid before AEAT (Spain), HMRC (United Kingdom) and IRS (United States).

Exportable · Procurement File · IRC §482
See full technical documentation →
For the Production Manager

Structured procurement without extra bureaucracy

Visualnet is designed for the Production Manager to work with order from the start of the project, not to add approval layers. The flow is fast, the system does the heavy lifting and every decision is documented automatically.

✦ Integrated AI assistant

When drafting the request for proposals, the assistant suggests improvements to the technical description to maximise the quality and comparability of supplier responses.

Automatic notification

On publishing, the system automatically notifies all qualified suppliers. No searching for contacts or sending manual emails.

History always available

Each project has its complete history accessible at any time. Exportable with one click to share with finance, the production company or third-party reviewers.

Create free account →
Bid comparison view with benchmark signed in the Procurement File — Visualnet

Real comparison view: bids ranked by market position, benchmark signed in the Procurement File and documented award.

Pricing

No monthly fee. You pay when you use it.

The cost depends on the number of requests for proposals you publish and the eligible awarded technical production budget at project close.

Phase A · Development
15€ + VAT / request for proposals

For projects in development. Indicative market benchmark, without binding award.

  • ✓ Automatic notification to all qualified suppliers
  • ✓ Receipt of non-binding bids
  • ✓ Market benchmark (minimum / average / maximum)
  • ✓ Complete process history
  • — Binding award
  • — Procurement File for NISR 4400 report (Phase B only)
Phase B · Pre-production
60€ + VAT / request for proposals

For real pre-production. Binding award, sealed benchmark and full Procurement File for NISR 4400 ROAC report.

  • ✓ Everything included in Phase A
  • ✓ Binding award with shoot date
  • ✓ Sealed and immutable benchmark at closing
  • ✓ Mandatory justification if price > market average
  • ✓ PDF export of history
  • ✓ Procurement File ready for NISR 4400 ROAC report

Tech Fee on eligible awarded technical production budget

Applied at project close, on the sum of the eligible technical production budget awarded in Phase B. Calculated exclusively by the system.

Eligible awarded technical production budget Tech Fee (Production Company)
Up to €2,000,0003,00%
From €2,000,000 to €10,000,0002,50%
From €10,000,000 to €30,000,0002,00%
Over €30,000,0001,50%

Minimum Tech Fee per project: €5,000 + VAT. Studios and broadcasters have a differentiated rate — see pricing for Studios. Visualnet's Tech Fee is an eligible expense for the Art. 36.2 LIS deduction.

Cost example — typical project

Item Amount
4 Phase A requests for proposals60€
6 Phase B requests for proposals360€
Eligible awarded technical production budget150.000€
Tech Fee 3.00% (Tier 1, up to €2M)4.500€
Total cost (excl. VAT)4.920€

For a project with €150,000 of eligible technical production budget, the cost equals 3.28% of the total — with full traceability and a Procurement File defensible for the NISR 4400 ROAC report. For higher-volume projects, the Tech Fee decreases progressively to 1.50%.

Prepaid wallet model

Platform access is free. The minimum initial deposit is €500 + VAT. Requests for proposals are automatically deducted from the balance on publishing. Unused balance can be requested as a refund.

Payment methods

Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Bank transfer for amounts over €500. Processed via Stripe with PCI DSS certification.

Frequently asked questions

What we get asked most

Is there a monthly or subscription fee?

No. The model is entirely pay-per-use: no monthly fee, no minimum commitment and no sign-up cost. You only pay when you publish a request for proposals and when you close a project with a Phase B award.

How is the eligible technical production budget calculated?

It is the sum of all winning bids in Phase B requests for proposals within the project. It is calculated exclusively by the system at closing — it is never a user-declared or estimated figure.

What happens if I cancel a request before publishing it?

Fees are only deducted at the exact moment of publishing. If a request is created but not published, there is no charge.

How many bids are needed for the process to be defensible?

Defensibility does not depend on a minimum number of responses. The system notifies 100% of qualified suppliers. If the market responds with one bid, the process is documented and defensible. If it responds with twenty, the benchmark is more complete. In both cases the process is beyond reproach.

Do prices include VAT?

All prices shown are exclusive of VAT. Applicable VAT is added at the time of charge. EU companies with a valid VAT number may apply the reverse charge mechanism.

Behaviour during inspections

What happens the day you need the Procurement File

How the Procurement File behaves before tax authorities, what it replaces and what it does not, when it is worth complementing it with a NISR 4400 report issued by a ROAC-registered auditor, and what its probative value is under the eIDAS Regulation.

Read the full guide

The Procurement File generates itself.
The incentive, protected.

Create free account → Request a demo