What an RFI is
A request for information (RFI) is a formal written question from the contractor to the design team or owner, asking to clarify something in the drawings, specifications or contract. Typical reasons: a conflict between drawings, a missing dimension, an unavailable product, or site conditions that don’t match the plans.
When to send one
- The documents conflict or leave out information you need to build
- A specified product is discontinued or has a long lead time
- Site conditions differ from what the drawings show
- You want to propose a substitution or a better method
Don’t use RFIs for things you can find in the documents with a little more reading. Too many low-value RFIs slow down the answers to the important ones.
What to include
- A unique RFI number and the project name
- One clear question per RFI
- Drawing sheet and spec section references
- Photos or marked-up drawings where they help
- Your suggested solution, if you have one
- The date you need an answer by, and the impact if it’s late
A simple RFI template
RFI #: 042 · Project: Riverside Clinic · Date: Oct 1
Question: Sheet A-201 shows the corridor door at 36", but the hardware schedule lists a 42" door. Which is correct?
References: A-201, Door Schedule sheet A-601
Suggested answer: 42", to meet the hospital bed clearance in spec 08 11 13
Answer needed by: Oct 6. Frames are being ordered that week.
Track every RFI until it’s closed
Keep an RFI log with the number, question, who it’s with, date sent, date needed and status. Review open and overdue RFIs in every project meeting. When an answer changes cost or schedule, link it to a change order so it doesn’t get lost.
How software helps
The two biggest RFI problems are answers that arrive by email and never reach the log, and RFIs that sit unanswered without anyone noticing. Tools that file each RFI as it arrives, create a response task with the due date, and match incoming answers back to the open RFI keep the log current without anyone retyping it.