Top 8 cataloged recommendations to manage your RFIs effectively

A Story by BIMEngus

BIM Engineering US is a leading Building Information Technology solution service provider offering end to end solutions in Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection systems engineering.

Keeping business efficiencies at maximum and handing over construction projects within budget and timelines is crucial for General contractors. Connecting the mindscape of architects and engineers with general contractors to understand the intent, and build around it is key whilst collecting project information. Wellstructured RFIs or Request For Information eliminate the need to perform expensive and time-consuming corrective activities in the construction stage. RFIs are raised in the bidding phase, or at various stages of construction.

General contractors or subcontractors raising RFIs in the construction stage are extremely expensive leading to cost and time overruns. Neglecting design clarifications, constructability issues, material requirements, sequencing, specifications, etc. can lead to extensive onsite failures.

“Generally, contractors have to take responsibility for the burden of delayed responses of RFIs submitted.

RFIs serve as a support system to diminish all of the above, as they can be integrated into various deliverable categories viz.

• Clarifications on inaccurate plans, spatial conflicts, inaccurate or incomplete specifications

• Design modifications based on construction problems and sequencing issues

• Material availability, value engineering, and others

• Issues in constructability and varying site conditions

Furthermore, the unintended use of RFIs can lead to greater costs. It has been documented, “ a single RFI can cost over $1000”. If there were hundreds of RFIs raised in the later stages, it would amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in cost overshoots. RFIs are not intended for the following purposes viz. ordinary communication, submittals, granting design documents, substitutes, change requests, feedback, etc. RFIs do become high-risk documents if not created and managed effectively. Misuse of RFIs in the later stages can create greater challenges than solutions for contractors and subcontractors.

Described below are well-documented recommendations for contractors and subcontractors to produce effective and productive RFIs. Working on numerous projects requires project managers and contractors to collaborate and diminish high-impact construction risks.

1. Encourage discussions between various trades and teams in the preconstruction stage.

Early involvement of multiple teams, trades, and stakeholders in the design stage fuels greater communication and collaboration. Clarifying doubts before the actual construction process begins can diminish budget and schedule overruns.

2. Deploy an integrated and cloud-based construction management software.

Raising, assigning, and clarifying RFIs requires advanced construction management software like iFieldSmart Technologies. Backoffice and onsite personnel can collaborate on issues, raise questions, and produce solutions to streamline the RFI processes. Tracking hundreds of individual RFIs can be time-consuming and cost-incurring. Cloud-based software instantly allows every stakeholder to interact and manage RFIs for higher productivity.

3. Be specific with asking the right set of questions.

Creating different RFIs for individual questions makes the RFI creation and assigning process streamlined. Greater numbers of unnecessary RFIs can create a higher cost impact. Advanced construction management software can analyze the impact of cost for specific RFIs. Consolidating questions and their issues can lead to greater complications in tracking RFIs.

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