I think the use of "(a) something and (b) something else" makes it unambiguous that the second reading is the only correct one. It's not "depends on (a) something and (b) something else".

That said, the use of "(a) and (b)" here is not how we usually specify things. I think we could either replace those with \item to make this a bulleted list (which would still be clear that the "depends on" part only applies to the first requirement), or remove the (a) and (b) and add the comma. I think the bulleted list would be my preference between those two options.

Keeping the (a) and (b) would be my least favourite solution, and with that option adding the comma seems like putting lipstick on a pig.

That said, the use of "(a) and (b)" here is not how we usually specify things. I think we could either replace those with \item to make this a bulleted list (which would still be clear that the "depends on" part only applies to the first requirement), or remove the (a) and (b) and add the comma. I think the bulleted list would be my preference between those two options.

I agree. I've implemented this change for the paragraph in question, as well as another paragraph above:

@Eisenwave , feel free to squash and force-push the two commits.