it may submit

10:21 Aug 18, 2010 

I'd like to thank every answerer for enriching this post!

08:30 Aug 12, 2010 

... that this is an error in the source text, it is just the sort of error that might easily be made by a non-native speaker, however good the standard of their English.

I think your own interpretation is correct, that this is simply the impersonal construction, which requires the passive 'be submitted' as you have correctly determined.

07:25 Aug 12, 2010 

So does the letter go "Reference your letter ... regarding your project. It may submit..."? Or is there something else in between?

07:19 Aug 12, 2010 

No. The first sentence is what I mentioned earlier "Reference your letter..."

14:41 Aug 11, 2010 

Is this literally the opening sentence of the letter, after "Dear So&SO"?

11:38 Aug 11, 2010 

Reliable non-native speaker of English

09:15 Aug 11, 2010 

I think that's the whole point of Asker's question — it's looking increasingly as if the source text is flawed, and it may well be that the impersonal "It may be submitted that..." is in fact what was originally intended; perhaps Asker could tell us if the source text is reliable, native-speaker English or not?

08:15 Aug 11, 2010 

"It" must refer to something, since somebody has got to do the submitting - it must be "the court" or "the defence" or "the other side" - unlike rain, submitting can't just happen without someone doing it.

08:11 Aug 11, 2010 

As you see, it is a letter. A lawyer is talking about certain contracting issues.

08:09 Aug 11, 2010 

"Reference your letter No. xxx, dated xxx, regarding xxx project."

I don't think it refers to any thing, just like "it rains."

07:45 Aug 11, 2010 

Yes, nerino is right: it's impossible to tell without knowing more of the surrounding context; noramlly, the substitution you propose wouldn't make sense, but it all depends on the context, and indeed, if the text was correct in the first place!

07:43 Aug 11, 2010 

I think that the previous sentence might clarify what the "it" refers to, could you please write it?