At risk of being that guy on HN, this looks like the kind of thing that you would run and generate a static html and always use the same css.
If you're not happy with the perl tool, I'd run it to get all the HTML, then build a new tool in your favorite language that reads through the same source material and generates similar HTML (you can fix stuff you don't like as you go along, but don't change too much if the goal is to just get it done). I'd give an experienced developer about a week, or an average intern a month or three, assuming there's some hidden complexity, but not too much.
I'm not surprised software solutions companies aren't going to bid on a project that's 40 hours of work. And that you got someone to build a monstronsity instead.
If you're not happy with the perl tool, I'd run it to get all the HTML, then build a new tool in your favorite language that reads through the same source material and generates similar HTML (you can fix stuff you don't like as you go along, but don't change too much if the goal is to just get it done). I'd give an experienced developer about a week, or an average intern a month or three, assuming there's some hidden complexity, but not too much.
I'm not surprised software solutions companies aren't going to bid on a project that's 40 hours of work. And that you got someone to build a monstronsity instead.