The places I would look is the CMS extensions directories, for Joomla: http://extensions.joomla.org/ Drupal: http://drupal.org/project/Modules If those don't do what you want you might consider using a php framework, we had good luck with both Symfony (a bit more complex) and Akelos ( quick and simple) The key to using a framework quickly is called scafolding - which automatically creates a CRUD (create, Retrieve, Update, Delete) page set based on the database table. Making a new application can take 15-30 min, somewhat longer to customize. Of course, that is once you know about the framework -- figure more like a day if you don't. A few other notes: 1) Hooking to MS Access will be a challenge - import/export is easiest, except for having to synchronize -- using ODBC takes some work, once working does the trick - although is slow for heavy production use. 2) Ldap can be done just using Apache mod_ldap As I see it, it's not really of the scale that needs a development partner, at least not if you have a basic LAMP development skills in-house. Rich Christian Lagier wrote: > Here at Smith College Science Center, we need a small web-based > application to allow students to reserve equipment, sign up for > work-shops, as well as tracking actual equipment use (log-in at time > of use to indicate time spent, purpose, results, any issues). > > (1) Are you aware of something somewhat like this already available on > the web as a service, a product, or code? > > Otherwise, we're considering custom development, hosting ourselves > running on Linux, Apache, MySql, PHP + using MS Access for some core > users to get to the collected data. App would authenticate through our > LDAP server. > > (2) Do you know of any local firms that might be a good partner for > something like this? > > As always, thank you to everybody on this list offering thoughtful and > helpful answers. > > Christian -- Rich Roth CEO On-the-net Bringing you complex online systems since the net was young http://www.tnrglobal.com - http://www.on-the-net.com/rr/