RFI Management for General Contracting

Review the contract and any project execution plans to see how RFIs must be handled (for example, required response times, formats, or portals). Note any specific instructions from the client or design team.

Use your company’s standard RFI form or create one that includes fields for project, RFI number, subject, question, background, proposed solution, requested response date, and references. Keep the layout simple and easy to read.

Decide how RFIs will be numbered (for example, RFI-001, RFI-002) and whether you will use sub-numbers for revisions. Document the convention so everyone uses it consistently.

Create a tracking log in a spreadsheet or project management platform with columns for RFI number, subject, date submitted, responsible reviewer, status, target due date, and date answered. This will be your central control point.

If your project management system has an RFI module, configure it with the numbering, fields, and user permissions you need. Test creating a sample RFI to be sure everything works as expected.

Save the RFI template and link to the log in a shared location. Tell the project team where these are and that they are the only formats to be used for RFIs.

List the roles that will be involved in RFIs: project manager, project engineer, superintendent, foremen, and key subcontractor project contacts. These are the people who must understand the process clearly.

Set up a brief meeting or toolbox talk to walk through the RFI process. Choose a time that allows field and office representatives to attend without disrupting critical work.

Describe situations that call for an RFI, such as conflicting drawings, unclear details, missing dimensions, or field conditions that do not match documents. Emphasize that RFIs are for clarifications, not for routine coordination that can be solved on site.

Walk through a sample RFI on screen or on paper, showing how to write the subject, question, background, and attach markups or photos. Highlight the importance of being specific and concise.

Explain who submits RFIs, who they are sent to, and who follows up. Clarify target response times and what to do if an RFI is urgent.

After the session, send a short written summary of the process and who to contact with RFI questions. Post this in the job trailer so field staff can reference it later.

Ask superintendents and foremen to flag unclear conditions as soon as they see them. Reinforce that early questions are better than waiting until work is blocked.

When a question surfaces, review the relevant drawings, specifications, and shop drawings carefully. Many “questions” can be answered by looking at the correct sheet or note.

Ask whether the issue is a true conflict between documents, missing detail, or a field condition that differs from the design. If so, it likely warrants an RFI.

Consider whether the contract or design team has given latitude for field decisions (for example, minor routing adjustments within a zone). If this is clearly within that latitude, document the decision in field notes instead of an RFI.

If the question has potential cost or schedule impact, or will affect multiple trades, lean toward issuing an RFI to document the decision formally.

Decide to either proceed with an RFI or document a field decision. Let the superintendent and affected trades know which path you are taking so there is no confusion.

Before drafting, collect the drawing numbers, detail references, specification sections, photos, and sketches related to the issue. Having these ready will make the RFI clearer.

Use a subject that quickly tells reviewers what the issue is about (for example, “RFI-014 – Conflict Between Duct and Beam at Grid C/5”). Avoid vague subjects like “Question” or “Coordination.”

In the question and background sections, state what the conflict or gap is, where it occurs, and how it was discovered. Use specific grid lines, room numbers, and elevations to pinpoint the location.

If you have a practical solution that seems acceptable, describe it as a proposal for the design team to approve or modify. This can speed up responses and show that you have thought through the issue.

Include clear markups on drawings and any photos that illustrate the problem. Label them so the reviewer can quickly see what you are referring to.

Read the RFI as if you were the designer seeing it for the first time. Fix any vague language, missing references, or confusing wording before assigning a number and sending it out.

When an RFI is ready, assign the next available RFI number using your numbering convention. Enter the basic details in the log so the RFI is tracked from the start.

Based on the issue, choose which design discipline and primary contact should receive the RFI (for example, architect, structural engineer, mechanical engineer). Avoid copying people who do not need to review it.

Submit the RFI through the required channel: project management platform, client portal, or email, following any specific formatting or address rules in the contract or project procedures.

Based on how urgent the issue is and any schedule impact, choose a requested response date. Avoid arbitrary short deadlines; tie the date to when the answer is actually needed to avoid delays.

If an RFI is truly urgent (work is blocked or will be blocked very soon), mark it as such and explain why in the RFI or cover message. Do not overuse “urgent” labels or they will lose impact.

After submitting, verify that the system shows the RFI as sent or that emails did not bounce. Update the RFI log with submission date, responsible reviewer, and requested response date.

On a set schedule (daily or several times a week), update the RFI log with new RFIs, status changes, and response dates. Use the log as the single source of truth rather than separate lists.

Filter the log to see which RFIs are open and which have requested response dates approaching or recently passed. Pay particular attention to those tied to critical path work.

Check with the superintendent to confirm which RFIs are truly urgent based on upcoming work. Adjust your follow-up priorities to match the realities of the site.

For RFIs approaching or past their requested response date, send a brief, respectful reminder to the primary reviewer, referencing the RFI number and explaining the schedule impact.

If repeated reminders do not yield a response and work is at risk, escalate through the appropriate channel (for example, copying higher-level contacts or discussing in formal project meetings). Document these escalations.

Whenever an RFI is answered, revised, or withdrawn, update the log promptly. Accurate status makes planning and reporting much easier.

Compare the RFI response to the original question and context. Make sure it actually addresses the issue raised and does not create new conflicts with other documents.

Look for vague language like “coordinate in field” or incomplete information (for example, no dimensions where needed). Decide whether the field can reasonably act on the answer or if more detail is required.

Review the response against drawings, specs, and related RFIs to see if there are conflicts. If the response appears to contradict another instruction, flag this immediately.

If the answer is unclear or incomplete, send a follow-up question referencing the same RFI number. Be specific about what is still unclear and what you need to proceed.

When you are satisfied that the response is usable, update the RFI log status to indicate it is fully answered. Note any important conditions or notes from the response.

If the answer adds scope, changes methods, or affects schedule, flag it for change order review and schedule impact assessment in your other control processes.

For each answered RFI, determine which areas, trades, and tasks are impacted. This might include multiple subcontractors and the superintendent.

Write a short summary of the practical takeaway from the RFI response (for example, “Use 2-hour rated door in room 203 instead of 1-hour as shown on original plan”). This helps field staff quickly grasp the instruction.

Send the official response and your summary to the superintendent and relevant foremen, either via email, project platform, or printed copies. Highlight any immediate changes to upcoming work.

For RFIs that significantly affect work methods or safety, review the answers during daily huddles or weekly coordination meetings to ensure everyone hears the message.

Ask field leaders to confirm that they understand the new direction and have adjusted their plans accordingly. Clarify any confusion on the spot.

Post or pin important RFI answers in the job trailer or make sure they are easy to access on tablets or kiosks so crews can refer to them while working.

Review the RFI response and decide if it changes dimensions, materials, layouts, or other design elements. If so, the documents need to reflect that change.

Ask the architect or engineer whether they will issue revised drawings, sketches, or model updates, or whether the RFI response itself will serve as the design record.

Until revised drawings are issued, mark up your working drawing sets and digital plans with notes referencing the RFI number and the change. Use clouds and clear text so changes are easy to see.

In your document management system, link the RFI to the affected drawings and add notes or version tags to indicate that the RFI modifies those sheets.

Tell the superintendent and affected subcontractors that drawings or models have been updated based on RFI responses. Point them to the correct versions and remind them to discard or mark old sets.

Move outdated drawings or models into a “superseded” folder, retaining them for record but marking clearly that they are not to be used for current work.

On a monthly or milestone basis, review the RFI register and group RFIs by discipline, building area, or type of issue. Look for clusters that indicate systemic problems.

Note themes such as repeated dimension conflicts, unclear details for a particular trade, or frequent scope questions in certain areas. These themes are valuable feedback for design and estimating.

Share your observations with the project manager, superintendent, and key subcontractors. Ask them for their perspective on why certain issues kept coming up.

Write down specific lessons, such as “provide more detailed coordination drawings at intersections of duct and structure” or “clarify ceiling heights earlier for tenant fit-outs.” Be as concrete as possible.

When appropriate, provide summarized feedback to the design team and your internal estimating/preconstruction group. This helps improve future document quality and early coordination.

Save your RFI trend summary and lessons in a location where they can be referenced during the post-project review. This ensures RFIs contribute to continuous improvement, not just problem-solving in the moment.