Close an RFI Only After the Answer Reaches the Field

A superintendent holds a drawing while a foreman points to a framed opening inside a building under construction.

Connect the clarified drawing to the exact location and crew that need it. AI-generated editorial illustration.

An RFI response handoff workflow covering answer quality, document revisions, field communication and separate cost or schedule decisions, with a worked example.

An RFI can be marked closed in the project log while the crew still waits for a usable answer. That gap appears when receiving a response is treated as the same thing as completing the handoff. A better workflow checks the answer, records its consequences and confirms that the right people have the current information.

The following is an operating checklist for project teams. It does not change the communication or authorization requirements in a contract. Assign the workflow to a project manager or coordinator who can follow the question through to its actual field consequence.

Define the decision before sending the question

An effective request identifies a decision that someone can answer. “Please clarify this area” leaves the recipient to discover the problem. A marked-up drawing showing two conflicting dimensions and asking which dimension governs is easier to resolve.

Reference the drawing numbers, revisions, specification sections and precise location. Explain the affected activity and when the answer is needed. Keep the requested technical clarification separate from a proposed commercial solution so neither is accidentally treated as approval of the other.

AIA’s G716 RFI summary describes requesting information after checking available documents and other reasonable sources. It also states that the request and response do not themselves authorize work that increases project cost or time. That distinction should remain visible when the answer is distributed.

Use two statuses after the response arrives

Track technical resolution and implementation separately. One practical arrangement is to record an answer status such as “response received,” “clarification needed” or “technical question resolved,” then a handoff status such as “not distributed,” “distributed” or “field acknowledgment recorded.”

These are suggested operating labels, not standardized contract terms. Use names your team understands and map them to the software you already use. The important point is that a response cannot disappear from attention merely because someone uploaded a PDF.

Before closing the technical question, check whether the response answers the original request, identifies the controlling information and leaves any conditions unresolved. Send an incomplete response back through the agreed route with a specific explanation of the remaining question.

Work through an illustrative handoff

Suppose an equipment layout conflicts with a wall opening on an architectural drawing. The contractor submits RFI 42, identifies both revisions and requests a coordinated opening detail before the framing crew reaches that area.

The response provides a revised detail. The coordinator checks that it identifies the location and resolves the conflict, then links it to RFI 42. The project manager separately records that the revised detail may affect an already ordered component. That potential commercial issue goes through the applicable change procedure; closing the technical question does not decide whether compensation or extra time is due.

The superintendent receives the current detail and identifies the affected crew. The foreman confirms which drawing is now being used. The document controller marks the earlier detail as superseded in the working set. Only then does the log show the field handoff as complete.

If the response only says “coordinate with equipment supplier” without resolving the conflicting requirements, the question remains open. A response exists, but the necessary decision has not yet been made.

Keep a small handoff record

Record	What it establishes
RFI number and location	Which question the response addresses
Response reference and revision	Which information the team is using
Remaining conditions	What still needs a decision
Affected work and people	Who needs the answer before proceeding
Distribution and acknowledgment	Whether the current information reached the field
Linked change or schedule item	Where consequences are being handled

Avoid attaching every possible document without explaining the controlling one. A short distribution note can say what changed, where it applies and which earlier information it replaces. Keep that note factual; do not add an interpretation that the designated reviewer has not confirmed.

Review the exceptions each week

Focus on unresolved questions approaching their needed-by dates, answers awaiting clarification and technically resolved items without a completed handoff. Give each exception one owner and the next action. “Waiting on architect” is less useful than identifying the missing detail and the date of the last follow-up.

After the work is installed, retain the response and related records in the project file. They can support later coordination, record drawings and the owner’s handover information. Use the closeout readiness review to check that those records are collected before the project team disperses.

For a starting register, see SBA’s RFI log template and RFI management guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does an RFI process take?

There is no single duration for every RFI. The time needed depends on the question, missing inputs, coordination and the project’s agreed response procedure. Work backward from the affected activity, record a needed-by date, and flag the schedule consequence before the unanswered question becomes a field stoppage.

How to manage RFIs?

Use a numbered log with the question, document references, responsible responder, submission date, needed-by date and status. Keep one accountable owner for follow-up. After receiving a response, check that it resolves the question and distribute the current information to the affected people before closing the item.

Are RFIs legally binding?

An RFI’s effect depends on the contract and the communication. Do not assume a response alone authorizes extra work or changes the contract price or duration. AIA’s G716 summary expressly separates requesting or receiving information from authorization for work that increases project cost or time.

Can you give me an example of an RFI in construction?

Illustration: an architectural drawing shows a wall opening in one location, while a coordinated equipment layout requires clearance in the same space. An RFI identifies both document revisions, marks the conflict, asks which detail to use and states when the answer is needed for installation.

How do I reply to an RFI?

Answer the specific question, identify the controlling drawing or detail and state any conditions or additional information needed. Attach the relevant marked-up document when useful. If the response has potential cost, schedule or scope consequences, route those consequences through the project’s change process instead of silently treating them as resolved.

How do I submit an RFI?

Check the available drawings, specifications and prior responses first. If the issue remains unresolved, submit a numbered question through the agreed project channel, with precise document references, location, attachments and a needed-by date. Describe the decision required clearly enough that the recipient can respond without reconstructing the problem.

How much does an RFI cost?

There is no universal cost per RFI. To understand the administrative effort on your projects, track preparation, review, coordination and follow-up time separately from any resulting change or delay. An internal estimate can multiply recorded hours by the relevant labor cost; it is not an industry price or an automatic contractual charge.

When would you submit an RFI?

Submit an RFI when necessary information remains missing, ambiguous or conflicting after a reasonable document review. Raise it early enough to support the affected decision. Use the appropriate alternative process for product approval, a proposed substitution or a price change rather than assuming one RFI form covers every purpose.