According to the NeDA project summary, which was released in March 2006, the proposal includes replacing existing council electronic planning software and systems, with a national format to be introduced to establish a standard DA lodgement process.

"Once the council system has been adapted, and council's internal processes aligned to the change (which the NeDA project will fund) there will be no ongoing demands on council staff time to maintain and support the process," the project document states.

"Existing vendors are paid for the work involved in adapting their system, but at a lower cost than would normally be the case, because of the large number of councils involved and the leverage involved in national negotiations with vendors.

"The NeDA project will ensure that the vendor's system complies with a standard that will allow lodgment of development applications from any system, not just through their custom interface."

The next collaboration meeting has been scheduled for later this month in Canberra.