Weirdly-worded question on a tender document…

WTF…

‘You are not able, without delay, to submit supporting documents if/when required’

Yes/No

How many people is that going to catch out?

I’m not that what you’ve have quoted constitutes a question at all?  Is there more that you’ve not quoted?

Is that in the fail over criteria? As in, if you cannot supply what they want, when they want it, you will be excluded from the process?

Seems tight but I wouldn’t stress it, it is in their interest to see tenders progress so they have a range of bids.

Lack of proof reading of questionnaires as far as I can see.
Reading between the lines you kind of get what they want, but that isn’t a question.
Personally I would correct the question and answer it as you expect it to be

It looks like it has been cut from a sub paragraph in a list of requirements, something along the lines of “Please check the box if:” as part of a pass/fail part of the tender form.

Its a question if they have asked you  to yes no in the preamble.

“Agree or disagree with he following statements” type thing

Technically its imposible to supply information with out a delay. So put agree down.

Where’s the question mark? Did you just miss it off the quote?

Are you able, without undue delay, to submit supporting documents if/when required?

Would make sense with the hope for answer being “yes”…

Sorry, I m missed off the Yes/No bit DOH!

***Are you able, without undue delay, to submit supporting documents if/when required?

Would make sense with the hope for answer being “yes”…***

But the way it is worded (‘You are not able, without delay, to submit supporting documents if/when required’) the answer should be no – ‘no, we are not *not* able do deliver’ surely?

*Technically its imposible to supply information with out a delay. So put agree down.*
I know – and they don’t specify what the ‘delay’ is either – 1 second? 1 hour? 1 day?…

Assuming the tender return deadline isn’t tomorrow – pick up the phone and speak the person who issued it seeking clarification. Get the clarification in an email.

We all make mistakes sometimes, sounds like they’ve cocked up a bit

This is why I hate tenders. You kind of know what they’re getting at, but a lot of the ones I’ve seen are written so badly as to be confusing at best and wildly misleading at worst.

Anyway this seems like a great time to ask a clarification question if that window is still open.

That doesn’t not preclude, when asked, not complying with a request to fail to respond.

Yes/agree – we are not able to supply them

or

No/disagree – we are not able to supply them (double negative so we can supply them?)

❓

@glenn – that is how I am reading it but I am sure it will throw many people out. Or they have worded it incorrectly and meant it the other way around and if we answer ‘No’, we will be rejected.

Bloody government tenders.

About asking clarifying questions generally (not about silly things like this) on public sector, vs. private:

They’ll typically share every bidder’s questions and the answers to them, with all other bidders.

You won’t get any extra credit for demonstrating your competence/experience through asking sensible questions.

They are written to confuse on purpose. If you didn’t write it, or help write it, you are very unlikely to win it.