An Update On Stupidity

So, yesterday the unnamed government agency I was complaining about decided to extend the deadline for turning in proposals by two weeks.  Great, more time.  Yippee!  However, what they did not do is actually answer the questions people had asked.  So, people have two more weeks to put their 200+ page proposals on hundreds of 3.5″ floppy discs.

Government Stupidity Hard At Work

There is a request for proposals out from the U.S. Government right now that has a fair amount of stupidity included in it.  First of all, the request specifies that the proposal must be submitted in hard copy (which is normal) but does not state how many hard copies are required.

Second, the electronic version of the proposals must be submitted on 3.5″ floppy discs.  No CD-ROMs allowed.  Proposals are 200+ page documents including charts and scanned documents.  It would literally require hundredes of floppy discs for each proposal.  I do not know whose bright idea it was to forbid CD-ROMs, but that person obviously has no idea about computer file storage technology.

Finally, the companies submitting proposals have asked questions about the first two problems and whatever other problems they have encountered.  There is an amendment coming soon explaining everything.  That does not sound stupid, right?  Well, the proposal is due in five days.  So, the government agency that put out the request is waiting until the last minute to amend the request.

Congratulations unnamed U.S. Government agency.  You win today’s Stupid Award.