RFI Submittals

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cadpoint

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Any one care to share some RFI insights, Both Pro and Con of writing or recieving them! :) Now surely just that thought brought a smile to your face!

I was wondering are they just truely a technical paper, or technaical pitch and a descriptive narrative, what the best approach, what's your approach, what should be in and what should be out ?

Are they just questions or showing or presenting some rational for a RFI being submited, thus making a question through a suggestion ? Have You ever suggested something just because you know it's not right and supply the corrective measures?

What's your approach, what's your limits, any insight, cander, or over-all would be more than I know... But I'm A good Reader and Listener, I'm just interested what your idea's are or one's approach are in this one matter!
 
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cadpoint said:
Have You ever suggested something just because you know it's not right and supply the corrective measures?
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I keep mine short and sweet. I state the problem and give code references or list the pages of the plans that conflict. These are hand written with my name and phone number on the bottom. I have the GC fax it so we both have copies.

This may not sound very professional, but it seems to expedite the resolution of the problem. I get a call which leads to a personal relationship with the EE that eliminates the need for future RFI's. Quite handy on large projects.
 
Short and to the point is always the best. I always recommend submitting an RFI when in doubt about any topic. I don't like paperwork either, but having it in writing always trumps the "By the way..." or verbal answer at a job meeting that somehow gets forgotten.
 
I'll second the "call the EE" first, at least for little stuff where cost isn't a big issue. We don't like paperwork either.

Why make paperwork for a question like: "What height do you want this light fixture at?"

Engineers tend to view RFI's as a "Request for Income" from the contractor.
 
I have found that when writing an RFI you should always reference the documents in question and write it a clear as possible.
I usually include a solution to the problem so I can get the answer that I want. This makes it easier for the EE and they usually go with the recommendation.

One thing that I found that you should not do, is to tell the EE that they screwed up or they are wrong.
They can't take criticism and it would back fire on you.
 
One thing that I found that you should not do, is to tell the EE that they screwed up or they are wrong.
They can't take criticism and it would back fire on you.
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As any human, when attacked, I will find a way to attack back.
That is when I would whip out the spec section, found in the middle of the book that you didn't look at, that requires the EC to bring donuts every time I show up to the site.
 
Please keep any thoughts and suggestions coming !
((PM me if you don't want to state something Public, Yes it's a selfish act, I even hate reading that myself when it's said, here))
I just need more information!

I guess I should just get out the old Technical Writing Manual from college!
but I don't think I kept that Book, (snaps fingers)

I can use any help here! I do use Sheet Detail numbers, pages numbers and what my electrical work will do to their detail or of an electrical application to it!

I appropriate the thoughts and comments! In any other case, yeah I have no problem about calling on small job's, or for my PM to interface correctly to the Engineer.

Maybe, I should clarify that in this one situation, VLJ (Very Large Job) that we are sitting third level in the food chain, where a sub contractor to another contractor who's under the GC. There's a chain of command and it's politically correct to stay in line of the pecking order.

The RFI report is submitted and it goes up the chain of command (COC), paper trails and everything, I found out the GC's even nice enough to review, and process it, they should care and should sheppard about our work, they should just pass it up with thier letter head, documentation, etc, for the answer!

Our RFI was submitted at the first of last week, the Engineer said they'd come out and answer some of the nickel and dime questions, (the way it was said to me the first time, they will stay and answer every question we had)
well I'm Sorry they weren't nickel and dime Question, Waited for two hours for them only they canceled at the last minute, hmmm, I know there's a few stories behind that one... but move on we will.

I'm a rookie on the writings of RFI's and suffering now from the Lack of Info (LOI) on these drawings.

Oh my it's going to be, One Hot Summer (OHS)! :grin:
 
Often our project managers can answer many questions without the need of more paperwork.
Personally I would much prefer the EC submit an RFI and ask the question instead of just assuming how we want it done. I think it's a good CYA approach to have a paper trail for everyone involved.

I think it pays to be professional when asking the question. We had one RFI with a very sarcastic tone stating we had designed a 60k sq. foot supermarket without a single data/tele jack on the plan and what do we suggest he do about this.
The electrician in the field had failed to see an entire blueprint dedicated to the IT system. Bummer for him.
My one sentence response was "see plan T1".
 
PCN said:
Often our project managers can answer many questions without the need of more paperwork.
Personally I would much prefer the EC submit an RFI and ask the question instead of just assuming how we want it done. I think it's a good CYA approach to have a paper trail for everyone involved.

I think it pays to be professional when asking the question. We had one RFI with a very sarcastic tone stating we had designed a 60k sq. foot supermarket without a single data/tele jack on the plan and what do we suggest he do about this.
The electrician in the field had failed to see an entire blueprint dedicated to the IT system. Bummer for him.
My one sentence response was "see plan T1".
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This is not directed to you PCN, I am just using your quote.
I would recomend that before you submit an RFI that you know all of the documents for the project so you don't get responses like the one I quoted above.
If you ask a question it looks bad if you had the answer and didn't look in the right place for it.
The EE won't be happy if you waste his time and won't be as helpful if he has to answer stupid questions.
 
tkb said:
This is not directed to you PCN, I am just using your quote.
I would recomend that before you submit an RFI that you know all of the documents for the project so you don't get responses like the one I quoted above.
If you ask a question it looks bad if you had the answer and didn't look in the right place for it.
The EE won't be happy if you waste his time and won't be as helpful if he has to answer stupid questions.
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I have to say that 99% of our RFI's are very good & legitimate questions.
We as desingers and EE's often learn from them. We have had very good suggestions for resolving design errors.
Don't be afraid to suggest adding/changing a detail for something to add clarity to a project if you have a good idea.
 
As has been mentioned, be sure to look at all the CD's to be sure the answer to your question isn't already there. If you need a clarification or a question answered, by all means ask it. For the most part, most engineers I deal with have been professional in dealing with contractors, but on occasion I have had the pleasure of some interesting sidebars after a job meeting. As far as I'm concerned anybody that puts forth the effort to "do it right" as far as the paperwork; RFI's, PR's, etc. deserves a professional response.
 
I have had simple RFI's take weeks to receive an answer. First example; Does your firm have a written control wiring color code or can we use our own proven standard? This was a no cost question took 4 weeks to receive a written answer. Second example; The drawings indicate adjusting the trip setting on existing breaker K-1 from 800 to 1200 amps. Breaker K-1's trip units and frame have a maximum setting of 800 amps. Cost for new breaker is $15,000 please advise. THE fax machine had barely hung up on the out going fax when I received a purchase order for the new breaker no questions asked. This was on the same project with the same engineering firm.
 
Not sure if other firms have this or not, but we have a website where RFI's are submitted which all the contractors have access to. There is an area where all contruction docs are and history of all RFI's submitted.

When a contractor submits an RFI it automatically sends an email to all parties concerned.
We then provide an answer on that same website with any attached sketches or cutsheets needed.
It really seems to streamline the process and eliminate delays.
 
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