>I know very little at this point, and knowing the reputation of the company providing the service, I expect them to be hard to deal with in getting this working - so the more I know about the subject the better prepared I am. The documentation I have been provided is very sparse, it only addresses the format of the data,
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>I am passing XML files created from FoxPro tables. The XML files allow parsing the data to them in a standard common format.
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>There is no attempt to simulate any kind of user data entry.

Then the main tasks are to check connection needs (certificates ?), formating of XML body and perhaps needed header info, possible return info and especially mechanisms offered for check/tests (java/tomcat WS often can give you a local testsystem from DVD). I guess it is hard to post the relevant info if you don't see/understand it<g>, but it is too much guesswork without further description.

Probably best for you is to get somebody knowlegeable, PAY him to write an extended estimate including technical background of his atack plan - making sure ***up front*** there is a big chance that you will at least partially implement yourself to get some practice in the field so the technical details sifted from the info are a big part of the thing you pay for. That way you don't follow wrong leads (time is money) and you get also a good estimate of really needed effort coupled with some technical expertise.

regards

thomas