RFI vs Submittal: What Contractors Need to Know

An RFI and a submittal are both formal construction documents, but they do entirely different things. An RFI — request for information — is how the contractor asks the design team a question. A submittal is how the contractor provides documentation for the design team to review and approve.

Confusing the two is more common than it should be, and it causes real delays. Contractors who submit an RFI when a submittal is required are asking a question instead of starting a review cycle. Contractors who submit product data through a standard submittal when a design conflict actually needs an RFI response are moving forward on an assumption that may not hold.

This article explains exactly what each document is, how each one moves through the project workflow, where they overlap, and how to manage both without letting either fall behind on a busy project.

What Is an RFI in Construction?

An RFI — request for information — is a formal written document that a contractor or subcontractor submits to the architect, engineer, or owner to request clarification on a drawing, specification, or contract document.

RFIs are used when something in the contract documents is unclear, incomplete, contradictory, or missing information that the contractor needs before work can proceed. They are not a way to request a design change. They are a request for clarification on what the existing documents actually require.

Common reasons a contractor submits an RFI include:

• A dimension or detail is missing from the architectural drawings
• Two drawings show conflicting information — for example, a structural drawing and an architectural drawing show different conditions at the same location
• A specification section references a standard that is not included in the project documents
• A site condition discovered during construction does not match what the drawings show
• The sequence of work for a particular scope is not clear from the contract documents
• A material specified is discontinued or unavailable and the contractor needs direction on an approved substitution

The RFI process creates a documented record of every clarification request and every response. That record matters during closeout and in any dispute over what the contractor was directed to build.

What Is a Submittal in Construction?

A submittal is a document, drawing, sample, or product information package that the contractor provides to the architect or engineer for review and approval before construction proceeds or materials are installed.

Submittals are required by the project specifications. Each specification section that involves a material, system, or piece of equipment typically lists what submittals must be provided and when. The submittal process allows the design team to verify that what the contractor intends to use or build actually matches what was designed and specified.

Common submittal types include:

• Shop drawings showing how a fabricated component will be built or installed
• Product data sheets and cut sheets confirming the specific model, finish, or configuration being provided
• Material samples for finishes, flooring, roofing, or cladding
• Test reports and certifications for structural components, fire ratings, or performance standards
• O&M manuals and warranties submitted during the closeout phase

For a deeper look at submittal types and the full review process, see our guide on what a submittal is in the construction industry and our breakdown of how a submittal log works in practice.

RFI vs Submittal: A Direct Comparison

Here is how the two documents compare across the dimensions that matter most for project teams:

	RFI	Submittal
Purpose	Ask a question or request clarification	Provide documentation for review and approval
Direction of communication	Contractor to design team — question out, answer back	Contractor to design team — documentation out, action back
Initiated by	Contractor, subcontractor, or PM	Contractor or subcontractor per spec requirements
Triggered by	A gap, conflict, or ambiguity in the contract documents	Specification requirements for a material, system, or component
Response type	Written clarification, sketch, or revised detail from A/E	Approved / Approved as Noted / Revise and Resubmit / Rejected
Contract document status	Does not modify the contract — clarifies existing intent	Part of the formal approval record for what is installed
Tracked in submittal log?	No — tracked in a separate RFI log	Yes — tracked in the submittal log
Effect on work	Work on that scope pauses until RFI is answered	Work or procurement pauses until submittal is approved
Common platform	Procore RFIs, Autodesk RFI module, email with log	Procore Submittals, Autodesk Submittals, submittal log

How Each Document Moves Through the Project Workflow

How an RFI moves through the project

1. The contractor or subcontractor identifies a gap, conflict, or missing detail in the contract documents.
2. The contractor prepares the RFI with a clear description of the issue, the relevant drawing or spec reference, and the specific information being requested. A well-written RFI also includes the contractor’s suggested resolution so the A/E can confirm or redirect.
3. The GC reviews the RFI before submitting. On projects where subs submit directly, the GC still typically reviews to confirm the RFI is legitimate and not something that can be resolved internally.
4. The RFI is transmitted to the architect or engineer through the project management platform or by formal transmittal. The date of submission starts the contractual RFI response clock — typically 7 to 14 days depending on the contract.
5. The architect or engineer reviews the RFI and issues a written response. The response may include a revised detail, a clarifying sketch, a specification reference, or a direction to proceed as shown.
6. The response is logged, distributed to the relevant parties — the superintendent, the affected sub, the project engineer — and filed in the RFI log.
7. If the RFI response changes the scope, cost, or schedule, the contractor evaluates whether a change order request is warranted.

How a submittal moves through the project

1. The project team identifies required submittals from the specifications at project kickoff and enters them in the submittal log with target submission dates.
2. The subcontractor or supplier prepares the submittal — shop drawing, product data sheet, sample, or certification — and delivers it to the GC.
3. The GC reviews the submittal for coordination with other trades and contract conformance before transmitting to the architect or engineer.
4. The A/E reviews within the contractual review period and returns one of four actions: Approved, Approved as Noted, Revise and Resubmit, or Rejected.
5. The GC logs the return action in the submittal log and notifies the subcontractor.
6. If the action is Revise and Resubmit, the cycle repeats. A new log entry is created for the resubmittal and linked to the original.
7. Once approved, the submittal is filed and the subcontractor can proceed with procurement or installation.

Where RFIs and Submittals Overlap — and Where Teams Get Confused

RFIs and submittals are distinct processes, but they interact closely enough that the boundaries blur in practice. Here are the most common scenarios where project teams mix them up.

Scenario 1: A shop drawing reveals a drawing conflict

A structural steel fabricator is preparing shop drawings when their detailer notices that the anchor bolt layout shown on the structural drawings does not match the architectural foundation plan. This is a drawing conflict — it needs an RFI, not just a note on the shop drawing.

The right move is to put the shop drawing on hold, submit an RFI documenting the conflict, get the clarification in writing, and then complete the shop drawing using the confirmed information. Proceeding with the shop drawing based on an assumption — or burying a note in the drawing itself — creates risk.

Scenario 2: Using an RFI to request a substitution

A contractor wants to substitute a specified product for an equal or better alternative. Some teams submit an RFI asking whether the substitution is acceptable. This is the wrong document. Substitution requests are a separate process, typically governed by the substitution request provisions in the General Requirements. An RFI is for clarification, not approval of a scope or product change.

If the substitution is approved through an RFI informally, there is no formal approval record. If a dispute arises later about what was installed, the contractor has no clean paper trail.

Scenario 3: Submitting a product data sheet when a shop drawing is required

A mechanical contractor submits product data for custom air handling units. The specification section requires shop drawings showing the actual unit configuration, coil arrangements, and duct connections. The product data confirms the product exists but does not show how it will be configured for this project.

The architect returns it as incomplete and requests shop drawings. Two weeks of review time are lost because the wrong submittal type was provided. Understanding the difference between submittal types — and what each spec section actually requires — prevents this entirely. For a detailed breakdown of submittal types, see our article on shop drawings vs submittals.

Scenario 4: Assuming an RFI response is a contract modification

An RFI response from the architect clarifies how a detail should be built. The contractor interprets this as a scope change and proceeds without submitting a change order request. Later in the project, a dispute arises over whether the RFI response changed the contract scope.

RFI responses clarify existing design intent. They do not modify the contract. If the work required by the RFI response is genuinely beyond what the contract documents originally required, a formal change order process — not an RFI — is the correct path.

Common Mistakes in RFI and Submittal Management

• Submitting vague RFIs: An RFI that says “please clarify the detail at grid B-4” without identifying what specifically is unclear, what drawing it references, or what the contractor’s proposed resolution is will generate a slow or incomplete response. The A/E has to go back and ask for more information before they can answer. Every round-trip adds days.

• Letting RFIs age without follow-up: An unanswered RFI is a blocked work item. If the RFI log is not reviewed regularly and overdue items are not escalated, the schedule slips quietly. A project with 40 open RFIs and no active follow-up process is a project with 40 unresolved decision points.

• Not logging RFIs and submittals in separate tracking registers: RFIs and submittals are different documents with different workflows, different response types, and different effects on work. Mixing them in the same log — or tracking them informally through email — means no one has a clear picture of what is open and what is blocking progress.

• Routing submittals without reviewing them first: A GC that forwards subcontractor submittals to the architect without reviewing them first loses the opportunity to catch coordination conflicts, wrong products, or incomplete information before they consume the A/E’s review time. A Revise and Resubmit that could have been avoided internally adds two to three weeks to the review cycle.

• Not distributing RFI responses to the field: An RFI response that sits in the project engineer’s inbox while the superintendent makes decisions based on the original drawing is a change order in the making. RFI responses need to reach the field the same day they are received.

• Using RFIs to defer decisions: Some teams submit RFIs on items they should be able to resolve through the contract documents or through a conversation. Excessive RFIs slow down the project and consume the design team’s review time. Before submitting an RFI, the contractor should confirm that the question cannot be answered by reading the specs, the general notes, or the detail sheets more carefully.

Best Practices for Managing RFIs and Submittals Together

• Maintain separate logs for RFIs and submittals from day one. Each log should have its own numbering system, status fields, and review deadlines. They are different documents and they need different tracking.
• Assign clear ownership for each log. On most projects, the project engineer owns the RFI log and the document control administrator or project coordinator owns the submittal log. If both are owned by the same person, that is fine — what matters is that one person is accountable for each.
• Set internal review deadlines that are earlier than the contractual deadlines. For submittals, build in a GC review window before forwarding to the A/E. For RFIs, set an internal escalation trigger for items approaching the contractual response deadline.
• Review both logs at every weekly project meeting. Open RFIs and pending submittals should be standing agenda items. Any item that is blocking a trade, procurement, or inspection should be escalated that week.
• Distribute RFI responses immediately to all affected parties. The superintendent, the affected subcontractor, and the project engineer should all receive the response on the day it comes in. Do not let responses accumulate in an inbox.
• Link related RFIs and submittals in the log. When a shop drawing submittal generates an RFI because of a drawing conflict, note the RFI number in the submittal log entry and vice versa. This cross-referencing makes it possible to reconstruct the full decision history during closeout or in a dispute.
• Close out both logs before final payment. At project closeout, every RFI should have a response and every submittal should have an approved status. Open items in either log are a red flag during the owner’s closeout review.

How Virtual Construction Assistants (VCA) Supports RFI and Submittal Coordination

RFI and submittal management is one of the heaviest administrative workloads on an active construction project. Between logging new items, tracking response deadlines, distributing responses, following up on overdue items, and keeping both logs current across multiple subcontractors and trades, the coordination work is continuous.

Once the RFI and submittal workflows are established, a construction virtual assistant from Virtual Construction Assistants (VCA) can take ownership of the daily tracking and coordination tasks that keep both processes moving.

What a construction VA handles across RFI and submittal coordination:

RFI support

• Logging incoming RFIs from subcontractors and assigning RFI numbers per the project numbering system
• Confirming that each RFI includes the required information — drawing reference, spec section, description of the issue, and the contractor’s suggested resolution — before it goes to the GC for review
• Transmitting RFIs to the architect or engineer and logging the submission date and contractual response deadline
• Tracking open RFIs and flagging items approaching or past the response deadline for PM escalation
• Distributing RFI responses to the superintendent, affected subcontractors, and project engineer on the day they are received
• Maintaining the RFI log with current status, response dates, and any notes on follow-up actions

Submittal support

• Setting up and maintaining the submittal log with target submission dates pulled from the project schedule
• Logging incoming submittals from subcontractors and confirming the correct submittal type was provided for each spec section
• Preparing transmittals for each submittal forwarded to the architect or engineer
• Tracking A/E review deadlines and flagging submittals that are approaching or past the contractual review period
• Creating new log entries for resubmittals and linking them to the original submittal record
• Notifying subcontractors when approved submittals are returned so procurement or fabrication can proceed
• Preparing weekly RFI and submittal status reports for the PM, superintendent, and owner’s representative

Virtual Construction Assistants (VCA) works within the platforms the project team already uses — Procore, Autodesk Construction Cloud, or Excel-based logs — so the construction VA integrates into the existing workflow without disrupting it. The result is that both logs stay current, nothing ages without follow-up, and the PM always has a clear picture of what is open and what is blocking progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between an RFI and a submittal?

An RFI is a question the contractor sends to the design team to request clarification on the contract documents. A submittal is documentation the contractor provides for the design team to review and approve before work or procurement proceeds. An RFI asks for information. A submittal provides information for a formal review action.

Can an RFI replace a submittal?

No. An RFI cannot substitute for a submittal. If the specifications require a shop drawing or product data submittal for a particular scope, that submittal must go through the formal review and approval process. An RFI response does not constitute an approval of materials or methods.

How long does the design team have to respond to an RFI?

The contractual RFI response period is typically defined in the General Conditions. Most standard contracts specify a response period of 7 to 14 calendar days. AIA A201 sets a 10-day default. The contractor should confirm the contractual response period at project kickoff and track all RFIs against that deadline.

Should RFIs and submittals be tracked in the same log?

No. RFIs and submittals are different documents with different workflows, different response types, and different effects on the project. Each should have its own numbered log. Mixing them creates confusion about status and makes it harder to identify what is blocking specific scopes of work.

What happens if a submittal is not approved before work begins?

Work that proceeds before a required submittal is approved is at risk of non-conformance with the contract. If the installed work does not match what the A/E would have approved, the contractor may be required to remove and replace it at their own cost. For certain systems, it may also create inspection and permitting issues.

Can a construction virtual assistant manage both RFI and submittal logs?

Yes. A construction virtual assistant can handle the daily logging, tracking, transmittal preparation, deadline monitoring, and status reporting for both the RFI log and the submittal log. The technical review decisions — how the A/E responds to an RFI, or whether a submittal is approved — belong to the design and construction management team. The construction VA manages the surrounding administrative and coordination workflow so nothing falls behind.

Keeping RFIs and Submittals Moving on a Busy Project

Open RFIs and stalled submittals are two of the most common causes of schedule delays on construction projects. If your team does not have the bandwidth to keep both logs current, a construction virtual assistant from Virtual Construction Assistants (VCA) can own the daily tracking and coordination so nothing ages unnoticed.

Contact Virtual Construction Assistants (VCA) to learn how our construction VAs support RFI management, submittal coordination, and document control for general contractors, subcontractors, and construction management firms.