Projects that are hosted on the AMNH Research webservers, even when their software development work is to be performed by outside contractors, need to be discussed at the earliest possible phase of conception, in a meeting with the Scientific Web Applications Group and Robert Duffy, the AMNH Webmaster. For initiating work, please have in hand, or be willing to discuss, a plan that covers all of the points mentioned below in this document.
The Scientific Web Applications Group will manage the software development tasks of any outside contractors who develop work that runs on the Research webserver, in conjunction with the input of the project's contact personnel for matters of needs- and quality-assessment. The SWA Group will vet the contractor's code and will receive and install updates from the contractor, discussed in more detail below.
A written statement of mutual understanding will be made, between the Science department client, the outside contractor, the Scientific Web Applications Group, and Linda Perry-Lube. The document will contain a scope of work and a schedule of deliverables (see also the "roadmap" discussed elsewhere in this document).