Request for information overview
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Architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms can use the Request For Information (RFI) feature to document questions and responses from project team members. While journals can be used to submit questions, the RFI feature is typically used for more significant requests that require review and can affect the schedule or budget.
An example of an RFI is a contractor emailing the architect to ask about the interpretation of a construction drawing detail or a note in the specifications. The email includes a hyperlink to the TeamLink Portal, allowing the external team member to respond securely.
A company can be referenced in the following areas within an RFI:
- Originator: Company that initiates the question.
- Coordinator: Typically, your firm will be referenced here.
- Respondent: The company that's responsible for answering the question. In some cases, there could be multiple respondents.
The following table provides example company references based on different user perspectives.
| Sage Construction Management user perspective | Originator | Coordinator | Respondent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subcontractor | Subcontractor or supplier | Subcontractor | GC/architect/engineer/consultant/owner |
| General contractor (GC) | GC or subcontractor | GC | Architect/engineer/consultant/owner |
| Architect or engineer | GC/subcontractor/supplier | GC | Architect/engineer/consultant/owner |
- When sending RFIs to the respondent through email, Sage Construction Management will automatically include a hyperlink to the TeamLink Portal, so responses or comments can be documented online. This method is preferred as opposed to printing an RFI. The coordinator will receive an alert when a response has been posted in the portal.
- Responses sent using standard email and not through the portal will need to be moved from the Email feature and be re-associated with the original RFI.
- After receiving the response, make sure to mark the RFI as Closed when you edit the RFI. This way only open items will appear in the Correspondence Calendar and Alerts pages.
- You can use the Create Follow Up RFI option to create another RFI that will link the two records.
- Make sure all companies referenced in the RFI are in the project leads directory or project directory .
- Optionally, review the RFI types, reasons, and priority options. All three can be used for filtering and sorting records.