Construction documentation is an important part of any construction project. Everything that happens in construction needs to be documented to ensure that the project will run smoothly. Unfortunately, even if you try to document everything, there will be gaps, and the documentation can leave you and other parties with important questions.
That’s where construction Request for Information (RFI) is a tool that helps you clarify anything about the project. Think of it as the construction equivalent of raising a hand in class or an inquiry note passed between team members. The goal is to help you all end up on the same page, ready for the project. It’s how questions are asked, clarifications sought, and uncertainties ironed out, all with the collective goal of fostering a shared understanding.
This article will dive into construction RFIs, what they are, how they work, why they matter, and some best practices to help you and your team stay on the same page.
What Is Construction RFI?
At its core, a construction RFI is a formal inquiry initiated by project stakeholders, seeking additional information, clarification, or guidance on aspects within the project documentation. Essentially it’s a document that can help start a conversation, clarify anything, or provide additional guidance. It provides a structured means for project participants—like contractors, subcontractors, architects, or engineers—to pose questions that arise during the project. These queries can span a wide spectrum of topics, ranging from design specifications and material requirements to logistical considerations and construction methodologies.
RFIs typically follow a standardized format: detailing the inquiry, the context in which it arises, and the potential implications on the project if left unaddressed. These formalized documents are then submitted to the project’s designated contact, often the architect or project manager, who reviews the questions and provides comprehensive responses. This systematic exchange ensures that everyone involved in the project is working from a common understanding to help mitigate the risk of misunderstandings that could lead to costly errors or delays.
On top of that, construction RFIs serve as a documented record of communication and decision-making throughout the project lifecycle. This creates a valuable resource for future reference because you can track the evolution of project specifications and the rationale behind specific decisions.
There are four primary purposes of construction RFIs:
- Clarify. The RFI is a place where someone on the project can query about design specifications in case something is unclear.
- Substitute. With an RFI, there’s even an opportunity to suggest substitutions and have everyone agree.
- Identify. An RFI can help teams identify problems with materials, designs, schedules, or even the job site. It’s also a way to guide communication toward finding a solution.
- Verify. An RFI can help people on a project verify that they know all of the important details of a project.
Construction RFIs can help eliminate ambiguity and ensure a shared understanding of project details. When confronted with uncertainties or ambiguities in plans, specifications, or other project documents, stakeholders in the project can use the RFI process to seek clarification from the designated authorities. This iterative exchange fosters an environment of collaboration.
Types of Construction RFI
There are more than a dozen types of construction RFIs. After all, it’s a document for clarification, and that can be about almost anything. Here are thirteen types of construction RFI.
- Design Coordination. These RFIs involve organizing, communicating, and coordinating the design of what’s being built. It can also help coordinate some of the associated documents among project participants.
- Construction Coordination. These RFIs cover requests to organize and coordinate procedures, schedules, and safety items.
- Constructability Issues. These RFIs arise when the construction document articulates a detail or design that the contractor deems infeasible.
- Timing and Phasing. These RFIs are needed when the builder needs to change the sequence of construction activities due to resource or labor constraints. The RFI helps coordinate timing with the rest of the team.
- Design Change. These RFIs help revise the design to facilitate construction or fix a construction mistake.
- Design Clarification. These RFIs are about clarifying something about the design. The requester may need information to understand the project details.
- Change in Method or Process. These RFIs are needed when the contractor wants to change a specified building or installation technique. They need to coordinate with the rest of the stakeholders via the RFI.
- Deleted Scope. These RFIs seek to remove work from the project.
- Incomplete Plans or Specs. This type of RFI points out errors or omissions in the plans. This can help save the stakeholders time and resources that could’ve gone into a mistake.
- Material Change. These RFIs are where someone requests to use a different material than the construction documents specify, often due to shortages or lack of access to the original material.
- Site Condition. These RFIs happen when builders discover a discrepancy between the description of site conditions in the construction documents and the actual site conditions.
- Utility Conflict. This type of RFI is used when utility lines (such as water pipes or power wires) stand in the way of proceeding with construction as originally planned.
- Value Engineering. These RFIs suggest changes to reduce cost, improve efficiency, or enhance quality.
Understanding these types of construction RFIs empowers project participants to deploy this communication tool strategically. There are so many ways an RFI can be used to help the project move forward and ensure collaboration.
Construction RFI Processes
The RFI process, when executed effectively, helps create clear communication, mitigate potential issues, and foster collaborative problem-solving. Here’s an insight into the typical construction RFI process:
Initiation and Inquiry Submission
The RFI process starts with the identification of a query or uncertainty by a project stakeholder. This could be a contractor seeking clarification on design elements, a subcontractor addressing logistical concerns, or any other participant in need of information. Once they know what needs to be clarified, they begin the official RFI process of submitting the query. The inquiry is then formalized into an RFI document.
Documenting the Inquiry
The RFI document is a structured channel for framing the inquiry. The document itself might include essential details such as the context of the question, specific document references, and potential implications if the matter remains unresolved. Clear and concise documentation helps keep the inquiry easily comprehensible.
Submission to the Designated Contact
Once the RFI document is prepared, it is submitted to the designated contact, often the architect, project manager, or another responsible party. This ensures a centralized and organized repository for all project-related inquiries.
Review and Response Generation
The designated contact reviews the RFI. They could potentially consult with relevant parties to ensure a comprehensive response. The contact will create a response they deem appropriate to answer any questions or provide the needed information.
Distribution of Responses
The response is then distributed to all relevant project stakeholders. This distribution ensures that everyone involved is privy to the information, even if they didn’t submit the RFI themselves. It can also help prevent the recurrence of similar queries.
Documentation of Responses
Both the RFI and its corresponding response are documented. This documentation serves as a historical record of project communication and provides a reference for any need in the future.
Implementation of Resolutions
The relevant adjustments are made if the RFI response necessitates a change in project plans, specifications, or schedules. Implementation may involve issuing change orders, updating project documentation, or communicating revised plans to affected parties.
Continuous Monitoring
The RFI process is iterative and continuous throughout the project lifecycle. As new queries arise or project circumstances evolve, stakeholders repeat the process to maintain a dynamic and responsive communication flow.
Integration with Project Management Systems
Many construction projects leverage project management systems to streamline communication. Integrating the RFI process with these systems ensures that inquiries and responses are systematically tracked, providing real-time insights into project status.
This is a typical process for an RFI. Some organizations and teams may approach the process slightly differently. The general idea is that the process involves submitting an official document and receiving a response that clarifies something.
How to Write a Construction RFI
A well-crafted Request for Information (RFI) in construction can help resolve uncertainties, ensure project clarity, and maintain a seamless workflow. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write a construction RFI effectively:
1. Identify the Issue Clearly
Begin by clearly identifying the issue or uncertainty prompting the RFI. Whether it’s a question about design specifications, material choices, or logistical concerns, articulating the problem is the first step toward obtaining a precise and relevant response.
2. Reference Relevant Documents
Provide explicit references to the project documents in question. This could include architectural plans, engineering drawings, specifications, or any other relevant materials. Specific references help contextualize the inquiry and expedite the response process.
3. Structure Your RFI Document
Structure your RFI document in a clear and organized manner. Essentially, you want to make it simple for the person you’re contacting to find the information they need to answer your question.
4. Be Concise and Specific
Write the inquiry in a concise and specific manner. Clearly articulate the nature of the question, avoiding unnecessary details that might obscure the central issue. The goal is to provide sufficient information for a comprehensive response without overwhelming the reader.
5. Contextualize the Query
Provide context for the inquiry by explaining why the issue is critical to the project. Whether it involves potential delays, cost implications, or impacts on other aspects of the construction, contextualizing the query helps stakeholders understand the urgency and importance of the matter.
6. Propose Possible Solutions (If Applicable)
If you have identified potential solutions or alternatives, consider including them in your RFI. You might have a proposed material substitution in mind, so you can explain why that substitution would be beneficial.
7. Submit to the Designated Contact
Once your RFI document is ready, submit it to the designated contact for review and response. Ensure that your submission adheres to any specific protocols or systems established for RFI management on the project.
8. Follow Up Appropriately
After submission, monitor the status of your RFI. If the response deadline approaches and no resolution is provided, follow up with the designated contact or project manager to ensure your inquiry receives the attention it requires.
9. Document Responses
When you receive a response, document it thoroughly. Include the response in your project records, and communicate relevant information to team members as needed. Documentation is key for maintaining a transparent project history and aiding in future reference.
Why Construction RFIs Are Important
RFIs can do a lot for a project team and construction company. Here’s a closer look at why construction RFIs are so important:
Clarification and Understanding
Construction projects can be complicated and expensive. RFIs provide a formalized avenue for stakeholders to seek clarification when faced with ambiguities in project documentation. This process ensures a shared understanding of project details, reducing the risk of misinterpretations that could lead to costly errors.
Risk Mitigation
Risks can be costly, especially for small construction businesses. RFIs serve as a proactive risk mitigation tool by systematically identifying and resolving potential issues. This preemptive approach minimizes the likelihood of disruptions, delays, or disputes arising from misunderstood project requirements.
Collaboration and Communication
Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful construction projects. RFIs help facilitate an open and collaborative dialogue among project participants, including architects, contractors, subcontractors, and engineers. This collaborative environment encourages the exchange of ideas, insights, and solutions, contributing to a more cohesive and efficient project team.
Design Optimization
RFIs play a pivotal role in refining design elements during the construction process. Stakeholders can use RFIs to seek modifications, propose alternative solutions, or address constructability challenges. This iterative process contributes to optimizing the design and helps ensure the design aligns with both project requirements and practical implementation considerations.
Change Management
As construction projects evolve, changes to the original plans are often inevitable. RFIs provide a structured mechanism for stakeholders to communicate potential changes, seek approvals, and address the ramifications of alterations to the project scope.
Accountability and Documentation
RFIs contribute to accountability in construction projects by documenting queries and responses. This transparent record-keeping aids in tracking the evolution of project specifications and can serve as a historical reference. If there were a dispute or claim, the documented RFI process provides valuable insights into the decision-making and communication history of the project.
Time and Cost Efficiency
Timely resolution of issues is critical in the construction industry, where delays can have cascading effects on project timelines and budgets. This is especially true for small businesses. The costs matter. RFIs streamline issue identification and resolution, minimizing the time spent on potential disputes or rework. This efficiency contributes to overall project cost-effectiveness.
Continuous Improvement
The RFI process can help contribute to a culture of continuous improvement. Insights gained from RFIs can inform future projects, influencing design practices, communication protocols, and risk management strategies. While it will take more than one RFI to create a culture of improvement, using this tool can be the beginning of continuous improvement.
Construction RFI Best Practices
Since RFIs can be such a powerful tool, it’s important to learn how to make the most of them. Here are some guidelines or best practices to enhance the effectiveness of your construction RFIs:
- Keep it clear. Too often, RFIs are hard to decipher, and the reader can’t pick out what the question or request even is. It’s important to ensure that your RFIs are as clear as possible. Make sure the request is obvious, and each question should be singular and easy to find. Don’t try to make the RFI fancy or worry about using fancy language. Instead, remember that an RFI is for a question, and it should focus on just that.
- Include essential context. The context for your question or request matters too, if the contacts are going to be able to really answer the request. Here are some of the key contexts to include:
- The exact nature of the misunderstanding
- A description of the parties impacted
- The part of the project process that is impacted
- Where on the build the information is lacking
- A deadline by which a response is needed
- Consider real-time solutions. Paper has worked effectively in the past, but when you have a real-time solution for your RFIs, you can submit and receive updates quickly. With a few clicks or swipes, your whole team can have the feedback you need from the RFI.
- Expect responses in a realistic timeframe. Your question might be urgent but don’t expect a response immediately. In most cases, it can take about 6–10 days for a response on an RFI. It can be helpful for you to indicate when a particular RFI is urgent for the project, so the respondent knows which issues need to be addressed first.
- Group-related requests. Trying to anticipate what RFIs might be needed for a project can be helpful to your entire team and save everyone time. When you plan, you can also group some of your questions and concerns. That will help you submit fewer RFIs and hopefully help you get faster response times.
- Include photo documentation. A photo is an excellent way to be clear. Attaching photos, drawings, sketches, diagrams, and other visuals can help you explain exactly what you are asking about and show what you mean to the person reviewing your RFI.
By integrating these best practices into your approach to construction RFIs, you can help ensure the clarity needed for construction projects.
Summit Fleet Knows Construction
Overall, RFIs are an important document to get clarification or make a request for particular aspects of your construction project. Construction projects have a lot of moving pieces to keep track of—and that is true for the construction industry as a whole too. That’s why your company needs an expert in construction to guide them through all the intricacies.
Summit Fleet knows construction. We know the industry backward and forward, and we can help your small business navigate through all the paperwork and tricky processes. Want to learn more about how we fuel construction? Click here.
