In early 1999, Canto Systems Limiteds (CSL) bid was the only response to Queen Port Trusts (QPT) tender for the supply/ installation of hardware, and the development of software. The tender quote, however, did not include any documented basis for determining the total person-months and bid amounts. While the final contract signing took over a year, the clients demands kept increasing. The Systems Requirement Study later assessed the effort required five to six times the estimate originally at the time of bids. QPT threatened to encash bank guarantees when CSL sought additional requisitions for providing the additional requirements and effort. Dec.2000, and CSL had to decide - cut losses by pulling out of the project or try to salvage it.