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Project Managementaka: RFIaka: request for information

RFI (Request for Information)

In Plain English

A formal written question submitted by the contractor to the architect asking for clarification on the plans.

Definition

A Request for Information (RFI) is a formal written request submitted by a contractor to the architect, engineer, or owner to clarify ambiguities, discrepancies, or incomplete information in the contract documents. RFIs are numbered, tracked in a log, and must be responded to within a defined timeframe. Unanswered or delayed RFIs can cause schedule delays and cost impacts that may support a change order or claim.

Example

The contractor submitted RFI #47 asking whether the structural engineer intended #5 or #6 rebar at the moment frame connection, which the drawings showed inconsistently.

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