UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

Yes, maybe you are right Magnus. Perhaps they don't know that when in MSWORD it is easy to open a text file (like the ones on all UNIX systems):
[list=1][*]Move the text file from the UNIX platform to your desktop.[*]Open MS WORD.[*]Click on "New --> Open."[*]Change "Files of Type" to "All Files."[*]Go to the Desktop.[*]Click on the text file you just placed on your desktop.[*]Click "Open."[*]Save as an MS WORD doc file.[/list=1]

That will import the text file into a new MS WORD doc and then save it.

You can then email using Outlook (or what ever) and add the file as an MS WORD attachment.

Alternatively, you can just attach the original text file as an attachment using MS Outlook (or other MS mail client).

And it also might be more complicated than that...
They could be trying to convert a troff formatted document to word format. Or some other proprietary format to a .doc.

What about even an HTML form that's served from a Unix-based webserver into a local document that's contained in a word doc...

There's no way anyone can speculate unless it's layed out completely...