Submittals
RFIs and submittals are both construction administration documents, but they serve different purposes. Learn when each is used and how they work together.
Requests for information (RFIs) and submittals are two of the most common documents exchanged during construction administration. They are often handled by the same people and tracked in the same systems, which is why they are sometimes confused. They serve different purposes. An RFI asks a question. A submittal demonstrates how a requirement will be met.
This article explains what each document is, when to use it, and how the two work together during construction.
What an RFI is
A request for information is a formal question from the contractor to the design team. It is used when the contract documents are unclear, appear to conflict, or do not cover a condition encountered in the field. The contractor submits the RFI, the design team responds, and the response becomes part of the project record.
Common reasons for an RFI include:
A conflict between two drawings or between the drawings and the specifications
A dimension or detail that is missing or unclear
An existing field condition that differs from what the drawings show
A question about an acceptable material or method when the documents are ambiguous
What a submittal is
A submittal is a document or sample that shows how the contractor intends to meet a specific requirement in the contract documents. Submittals include shop drawings, product data, samples, mock-ups, and manufacturer certifications. The design team reviews each submittal for general conformance with the design intent before the related work is fabricated or installed. For a full explanation, see What Is a Submittal in Construction?
The core difference
The simplest way to separate the two is by what they do:
RFI | Submittal | |
|---|---|---|
Purpose | Asks a question | Shows how a requirement will be met |
Initiated by | Contractor | Contractor |
Reviewed by | Design team | Design team |
Typical content | A question and supporting context | Shop drawings, product data, samples |
Result | A written answer | An approval status |
When used | When documents are unclear or conflict | Before fabrication, ordering, or installation |
An RFI resolves a question about what the documents require. A submittal confirms that a specific product or assembly meets a requirement that is already clear.
How they work together
RFIs and submittals often relate to the same scope of work. A submittal review can raise a question that becomes an RFI. An RFI response can change a requirement, which then affects a submittal. Because they are connected, tracking them together helps avoid duplicated effort and missed coordination.
For example, if a shop drawing submittal shows a connection detail that does not match the structural drawings, the reviewer may direct the contractor to submit an RFI to resolve the conflict before the submittal can be approved. Linking the RFI and the submittal keeps the full history of that decision in one place.
Tracking RFIs and submittals
Both documents move through a review cycle with deadlines, assigned reviewers, and status responses. Teams commonly track them in logs that record the item number, the responsible party, the dates, and the current status.
Layer supports both workflows and lets you link related items so that a submittal and its associated RFI stay connected. For setup details on the submittal side, see Managing Submittals in Layer: A Getting Started Guide.
Further Resources
What Is a Submittal in Construction? covers types of submittals, the review process, and the standard responses.
What Is Submittal Review? A Guide for Architects covers the reviewer's scope during construction administration.
