Database normalization

I have a large amount of company financial information in tab delimited text files which I use to select investments in company stocks. I have imported some of this data into a single table in an SQL Server 2000 database. Queries on that table take so long to execute that the database is not usable. I need that database normalized. With only a relatively small portion of my data loaded into the database, that table has approximately 350,000 records with 289 columns (fields) for each record. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, would be to normalize that database and thereby vastly increase the execution speed of queries. What I would like to do is simply provide a sample of the database to the bidders with a large amount of data, and let them normalize it. Then I would simply award the contract to the bidder who did the best job - best being defined as 1) executing the queries the fastest AND 2) easiest to import data into. (I get more data every week.) However, if I can't do it that way, then we can talk about other ways for me to evaluate the bids. I can probably write a VB or ASP interface myself, but there is a possibility that I may bid that out later as well on a separate contract. If you want to bid on the "user interface" then clearly state how much you are bidding for the database normalization and how much you are bidding for the creation of the VB or web user interface. ## Deliverables 1) Complete and fully-functional working program(s) in executable form as well as complete source code of all work done. 2) Deliverables must be in ready-to-run condition, as follows (depending on the nature of the deliverables): a) For web sites or other server-side deliverables intended to only ever exist in one place in the Buyer's environment--Deliverables must be installed by the Seller in ready-to-run condition in the Buyer's environment. b) For all others including desktop software or software the buyer intends to distribute: A software installation package that will install the software in ready-to-run condition on the platform(s) specified in this bid request. 3) All deliverables will be considered "work made for hire" under U.S. Copyright law. Buyer will receive exclusive and complete copyrights to all work purchased. (No GPL, GNU, 3rd party components, etc. unless all copyright ramifications are explained AND AGREED TO by the buyer on the site per the coder's Seller Legal Agreement). ## Platform I am using SQL Server 2000 running on a Windows 2000 Server machine.