Hmm... this looks perfect for Template Toolkit. Your CGI script might be something like (this is all very untested):

  #!/usr/bin/perl -w
  use CGI;
  use strict;
  use Template;
  $|++;

  my $file    = "base.tmpl";
  my @brokers = &get_brokers;

  my $template_data = { name    => $name, # This would probably get pa
+ssed to header.html
                        brokers => \@brokers };
  my $template = Template->new( { INCLUDE_PATH => '..\aliasdir1:..\ali
+asdir2',
                                  ABSOLUTE     => 1
  } );

  $template->process( $file, $template_data ) or die $template->error(
+);

  sub get_brokers {
    # return an array of hash refs with keys being
    # qw/ ID name address city state zip phone /
  }
[download]

You template file might look like this:

  [% INCLUDE '/hdr/header.html %]
  [% INCLUDE '/nav/nav.html %]
  [% INCLUDE '/foot/footer.html %]
  [% INCLUDE '/content/content1.html %]
  [% INCLUDE '/content/content2.html %]
  [% FOREACH broker = brokers %]
  <ul>
    <li>[% broker.ID %]</li>
    <li>[% broker.name %]</li>
    <li>[% broker.address %]</li>
    <li>[% broker.city %]</li>
    <li>[% broker.state %]</li>
    <li>[% broker.zip %]</li>
    <li>[% broker.phone %]</li>
  </ul>
  [% END %]
  [% INCLUDE '/content/content3.html %]
[download]

That's how easy it is to generate dynamic content with Template Toolkit. Do you need one of the included files to interpolate some variables? Just create a new key in tha anonymous hash in $template_data and reference it in the document with [% keyname %]. I don't see why SSI's would necessarily be superior. Template Toolkit is rather easy to use, once you get over the initial learning curve.

Cheers,
Ovid

Update: The reason I mention the Toolkit instead of SSI is because SSI is slow and, if improperly configured, can result in security holes. Toolkit can turn the templates into subs and cache them, making this a fast, robust system. SSI's are fine for simple things, but as the site gets more complex, the are very limited in what they can do. Since your site is 2000+ pages, I suspect you will quickly run into the inherent limitations in SSI.

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it is only too bad that the -w switch does not work properly on our server :( I would get it fixed, but the bureacuracy is too powerful.

Also, getting the average developer to use a perl script using Template is nie impossible. I'm the only Perl developer in this department. It is hard enough getting Bob "What do you mean i can't use frontpage" Smith to not try to muck up the current templates.

--
paul