RFI process flowchart (construction request for information)
RFI process flowchart template for construction: screening a field question, routing it to the architect or engineer of record, response deadlines, overdue escalation and the handoff to change order or delay notice.
What the RFI process flowchart (construction request for information) process is
A request for information, or RFI, is the formal way a contractor or subcontractor asks the design team to clarify, complete or correct the contract documents. The trigger is a gap or conflict met in the field: two drawings that disagree, a detail that does not close, a specification section that names a product the supplier no longer makes, a dimension that does not fit what is actually built. The chart follows one RFI from that moment. It starts with a screening decision that a surprising number of questions fail, then drafting with a sketch and a drawing reference, the general contractor's review and the register entry that starts the response clock, the architect's review and any consultant or owner input, the written response, the check on timing, and the final decision on whether the answer changes cost or time.
The construction RFI differs from generic project change handling, and from the project change request process in /templates/project-change-request-process, in three ways that shape the chart. First, the party answering is the architect or engineer of record, who answers within their own authority and no further: a change of scope or finish belongs to the owner, so the chart has a lane for the owner's representative and a decision for when to bring them in. Second, the contract usually sets a response period, and the date it starts and ends is evidence later; the chart therefore logs the RFI with its clock before anyone reviews it. Third, the answer can be an instruction that costs money or time, which is why the process does not end at the response but at the "Does the answer change cost or time?" decision, where a yes leads to /templates/construction-change-order-process and an overdue answer can lead to /templates/extension-of-time-claim-process. Contract forms differ (AIA, FIDIC, NEC, JCT and others use different periods, notice rules and names), so treat the periods and wording here as placeholders and adapt them to your contract.
Four decisions carry the process. "Answer already in the contract documents?" sits in the subcontractor's lane because the cheapest RFI is the one never sent. "Complete and the right question?" is the general contractor's gate, and it loops incomplete questions back to drafting rather than passing them on. "Response within the agreed period?" is the document controller's check, with an exception path for an overdue answer that escalates and records a potential delay. The last decision splits the outcome three ways: no impact, impact, or a response that did not actually resolve the question, which returns to drafting. The chart is a starting point for your own procedure, not legal advice.
What this flowchart covers
In this template
- Five swimlanes (Subcontractor, General contractor, Architect / engineer of record, Owner's representative and Document controller) across four phases: raise, screen and log, respond, and close out
- A screening decision, "Answer already in the contract documents?", that stops questions the drawings already answer and sends only a genuine gap or conflict on to drafting
- A general contractor gate, "Complete and the right question?", that returns thin RFIs for more detail and merges duplicates before the design team sees them
- A register step that logs and numbers the RFI and starts the response clock, plus "Response within the agreed period?" with an overdue exception that records a potential delay
- An authority decision, "Needs consultant or owner's decision?", separating what the architect can answer from what needs a consultant or a decision by the owner
- A closing decision, "Does the answer change cost or time?", with branches for no impact, impact (notice and pricing, handed to the change order process) and an unclear response that loops back to drafting
When to use this template
- You are setting up construction administration for a project and need to agree who raises, screens, answers and logs RFIs before the first one arrives
- The design team complains about low-quality RFIs, or the contractor complains about slow answers, and you want both sides drawn on one page
- You need a defensible record of when each question was asked and answered, because delay or cost claims on the project are likely
- A subcontractor is unsure whether to ask the architect directly or go through the general contractor, and you want the route written down
- You are onboarding a project engineer who has not run an RFI log before
How it works
Rename the lanes to your parties
Replace Subcontractor, General contractor, Architect / engineer of record, Owner's representative and Document controller with the actual firms or roles. On a small job the project engineer is also the document controller; merge those lanes rather than drawing a handoff nobody makes.
Write the route into the contract wording
State who may send an RFI to the design team (usually only the general contractor), who may answer it, and whether the owner is copied. Subcontractors asking the architect directly bypasses the log and is a frequent source of unrecorded instructions.
Set the screening standard
Define what a good RFI contains: sheet and detail reference, a sketch or photo, the proposed solution and the date work is affected. Put it on the "Complete and the right question?" decision so a rejected RFI states what is missing.
Fix the response period and the clock
Enter the response period your contract or specification section 01 sets, which may differ for urgent items, and state exactly when it starts and who records it. Adapt to your contract; do not copy the periods of another form.
Define the escalation for overdue answers
Decide who is notified at what point, how, and what is written to the log. Check your contract for any notice that must be given while a delay is happening, and link to the extension of time process.
Say when the answer becomes a change
Write the test for "Does the answer change cost or time?": who prices, within how many days of knowing, and where the change order starts. Also record who accepts a response without impact.
Walk it against past RFIs
Trace two RFIs from a recent job, one answered cleanly and one that became a dispute. Anything people did that is not drawn, or drawn and skipped, is what to fix before sharing it.
Frequently asked questions
What are the steps in an RFI process in construction?
A field question is first checked against the contract documents. If it is a genuine gap or conflict, it is drafted with a sketch and drawing reference, reviewed by the general contractor for completeness, logged with a number and a response clock, reviewed by the architect or engineer of record, and, where needed, referred to a consultant or the owner. A written response is issued, checked against the response period, distributed to the trades, and then assessed for cost or time impact. If there is none the contractor builds to the response and the RFI is closed; if there is, notice and pricing start the change order process.
Who answers an RFI: the architect, the engineer or the owner?
It depends on what the question touches. The architect or engineer of record answers within the design intent, structural and MEP consultants answer their own disciplines, and the owner decides anything that changes scope, quality or cost. That is why the chart has a decision for "Needs consultant or owner's decision?" and a lane for the owner's representative. Your contract names who is entitled to issue instructions; follow it rather than this chart where they differ.
How long should an RFI response take?
The response period is a contract matter: some forms name a number of days, others refer to the schedule or to a reasonable time. The chart does not fix a number. It makes sure the date the RFI was sent and the date it was answered are recorded, and it has an overdue path so a late answer is escalated and noted rather than discovered at the end of the job.
Is an RFI the same as a change order?
No. An RFI is a question and a response; a change order is an agreed change to price or time. A response can create the need for one, which is why the chart ends with a cost-or-time decision that hands to /templates/construction-change-order-process. Do not treat an architect's answer as authorisation to spend extra unless your contract says it is.
How is this different from a general project change request?
The generic flow in /templates/project-change-request-process assumes one organisation reviewing and approving a change. A construction RFI crosses contractual boundaries: the question goes through the contractor, the answer comes from a design professional with limited authority, and contract notice and response periods apply. Those differences are why this version has the register, the clock and the authority decision.
What should an RFI log record?
At least the number, date sent, the question and drawing reference, the date response is due, the date received, who answered, the response, and whether it was flagged as affecting cost or time. Version history and comments on each step help the team see who changed what, and when.
Where this process fits
In most operations this process hands off to Construction change order process flowchart (notice to payment).
It is one step in Contract administration.
Step 1: RFI process flowchart (construction request for information) You are here
RFI process flowchart template for construction: screening a field question, routing it to the architect or engineer of record, response deadlines, overdue escalation and the handoff to change order or delay notice.
Step 2: Construction change order process flowchart (notice to payment)
Construction change order flowchart template: written notice, request for proposal, subcontractor pricing, architect review, owner approval, unpriced directives, subcontract amendments and payment.
Step 3: Construction progress payment process flowchart (pay application)