Pre-date form - that's bureaucracy (3,4)
I believe the answer is:
red tape
'bureaucracy' is the definition.
(red tape means bureaucratic processes)
'pre-date form' is the wordplay.
'form' is an anagram indicator (another form of the letters).
'pre'+'date'='predate'
'predate' is an anagram of 'RED-TAPE'.
'that's' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for red tape that I've seen before include "Scarlet ribbon of bureaucracy" , "Colourful ribbon associated with bureaucracy" , "Colourful bureaucratic procedure" , "Petty official procedures" , "Needlessly time-consuming procedures" .)