The Role of RFI in Construction: How Automation and Data Insights Are Changing the Game
In an ideal world, contractors would have all the information they need to complete a project before the build ever begins. However, anybody who’s been on a job site knows this is not what happens. Often, contractors will be mid-project when they realize there’s some aspect of construction they’re just not sure about. That’s when they issue a request for information (RFI) from the owner and design team to get clarification so they can continue.
RFIs are a great way to get documented answers to contractor questions and are a necessary part of the construction process. Still, RFIs can be problematic since, in many cases, the work can’t continue until you get the info you need—and the process can be lengthy.
Let's explore why RFIs in construction can be so long and frustrating, and how improved processes can help make them go smoother.
Why RFI Management Becomes a Bottleneck
An RFI is a formal process for getting clarification on some aspect of the construction documents. There are several types of RFIs, from design clarifications to constructability issues, but essentially, RFIs aim to fill an information gap and clear up any confusion so that the contractor knows the work being performed is what the owner and designers had in mind.
RFIs perform an incredibly important role in the construction process—the last thing a contractor wants is to complete a section of work only to find out it was wrong and have to redo it. Everyone involved is protected by putting the query into a formal document and receiving an official response.
The Challenges of RFI Submission
However, the RFI process can be frustrating if it’s not handled well. If an electrical sub can’t finish wiring because there was some discrepancy about where the outlets go, an RFI can bottleneck project management efforts, and the whole construction process may be halted while that one detail gets ironed out. In all, estimates put the cost of RFIs over the course of a project at an average of $656,000.
The big hold up with RFIs is partly because they have to pass through so many hands before completion. Often the project manager and owner have to review each individual RFI before it can be approved. If the answer still isn’t clear, it has to make the rounds to other people involved in the project until an acceptable solution is found.
In the meantime, construction leaders have many other demands on their time, including other RFIs, which muddy the waters and cause everything to take a little longer.
Poor communication strategies, having to keep track of RFIs manually through email chains or spreadsheets, and a lack of visibility into RFI status can all contribute to turning a simple request for information into a long and painful process.
The Case for Better RFI Management Through Technology
So far, we’ve covered how RFIs can serve an important purpose, but also cause their fair share of frustration. The key to making RFIs in construction easier and faster is in creating an air-tight RFI process. That gets a lot easier with the right technology. Here are some of the ways the right solution can make RFIs more straightforward and less time-consuming.
Visibility
Problem: An RFI has to pass through many hands until a suitable answer is found.
Solution: Uploading an RFI into construction project management software can make it available to everyone on the team immediately and all at once, so anyone who sees it can provide an answer.
Completeness
Problem: RFIs often leave out even the most basic information or context that recipients need to understand the question and provide adequate answers.
Solution: Teams can use RFI templates in the software to be sure they’ve captured all the necessary information to get the answers they need. They can also attach photos, drawings, and notes all in one place for further clarification and context.
Tracking
Problem: RFIs have to be checked and followed up on manually, which takes too much time and effort.
Solution: RFI software can monitor and alert stakeholders to new RFIs, track any changes in RFI status, and even flag them or set them in order of importance, eliminating much of the manual work and mental strain.
Faster Responses
Problem: RFIs can get lost in the current of a fast-paced construction project and forgotten about by key stakeholders.
Solution: Notification triggers and approval flows help keep everyone on track and reduce delays in getting RFI responses.
Automating the RFI Workflow
The lag time for getting answers to RFIs is often due in large part to the human element. When (very busy) construction professionals are asked to take time out of their days to look into individual problems, those problems can get put off, forgotten about, or lost. The key to avoiding unneeded delays is automation of the RFI process.
The right software solution can route RFIs to the right person based on the nature of the question and the role of the recipient. Rather than getting lost in the wrong inbox, the RFI is routed to the correct person and addressed right away.
The contractor who submits the RFI can also set deadlines for approval to encourage faster response times and set trigger reminders if no action is taken in a set time. Finally, once an RFI has received a response, software solutions can automatically log the RFI history and store it for future reference.
By automating the whole RFI process, teams can reduce back-and-forth email chains and the errors and time suck that come with them. Instead, a site supervisor who clocks the need for an RFI can snap some photos, fill out an RFI template with all the relevant information, and instantly send it to the correct person, supporting operational efficiency and minimizing delays in the process.
Using RFI Data for Smarter Decision Making
Submitting RFIs through purpose-built software can provide a further benefit for teams who are looking to improve their performance over time: tracking and analysis. One RFI doesn’t tell much of a story, but when many are tracked side-by-side in consistent formats, construction leaders can start to detect patterns.
By identifying who submits the most RFIs, common areas or stages where RFIs happen most often, and how long it takes to get an RFI approved, teams can start to address problem areas and correct them to improve the operational efficiency in construction.
The insights gleaned from RFI history can help improve processes from contract documents all the way to construction handover.
The Right Process Can Improve RFI in Construction
RFIs are important tools for construction teams. They allow contractors to get clarification on construction documents, which can lead to better quality projects, happier clients, and fewer instances of rework. By tightening up RFI procedures, construction leaders can help avoid some of the delays that result from backlogs and missed communications.
Purpose-built RFI software provides a centralized platform where construction stakeholders can easily share, access, and store RFIs, and alert all the right people to their presence, nudging them to send answers quickly.
RFIs aren’t going anywhere, but with the right processes in place, aided by the right software technology, construction teams can alleviate many of the frustrations they cause.