Information About Construction

In an earlier post – The Whys and Wherefores of RFIs – we reviewed Navigant Consulting’s report in the potentially severe effect of needs for Suggestions (RFIs) on construction jobs.

Today we’d choose to provide the Aconex perspective – specifically, actionable methods for owners, contractors and project managers on managing the RFI process because of their construction projects. This will be especially critical for lowering threat on projects concerning experts from a variety of organizations.

Most useful Practices for RFIs

In a great world, RFIs will be managed regularly right across assembling your shed, based on the after guidelines:

1. Use an expert forma RFI template for several subcontractors and specialists to increase problems, and restrict their feedback to 1 concern per RFI.
2. Make it clear to all associates that answers to RFIs should be delivered in the period of time specified inside agreement.
3. Instruct the team to install with their RFIs any information – specs, guides, sketches, drawings, designs, photographs, videos, etc. – that helps simplify the issue being raised.
4. Have the RFIs taped in a project-wide sign-up with a unique quantity, the day of creation additionally the time through which a response is necessary.
5. Forward the RFIs into responsible staff member(s), as specified into the contract, and ensure that receipt of each and every RFI is logged when you look at the project-wide sign-up.
6. The initial recipient may need to send an RFI to another team member or business better able to deal with the issue – if that's the case, the following receipt associated with RFI must certanly be logged in the sign-up hence individual should respond.
7. The original person should review the reaction, ensure that it addresses the issue and determine any affect the task routine and budget – that ought to be logged as a possible difference and assessed by the appropriate members of the task group.
8. Whenever reaction is returned to you, review it for reliability, completeness and relevance – and verify or make clear any effect on the task routine and budget.
9. Within the project-wide register, update the RFI condition accordingly so that the appropriate downline are aware of it.
10. In the event that RFI response meets your requirements, level it as ‘closed out’ – if you don't, tag it as an outstanding problem for resolution, plus historic reporting reasons.

Looks like a long number, right? Here’s a movement chart to help you visualize the request Ideas procedure:

Automating Best Practices for RFIs

We know exactly what you’re thinking: “Wow, that is lots of work! How Can I automate and control the RFI procedure for the whole task group?”

The answer is Aconex – the world’s hottest Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform built particularly to control information and operations between various companies on building jobs. Aconex offers you complete control over the RFI procedure by immediately tracking all needs and answers at every stage of task – and recording them in a permanent review path.

Controlling the RFI Process

Needs for Information are logged in a project-wide sign-up and processed as Aconex post, and you may prioritize them based on your own criteria. You'll automatically route RFIs for endorsement before giving all of them, or save them in draft type for other individuals to update and deliver later. The Aconex system clearly flags outstanding and delinquent answers. This permits you and your task staff to effortlessly manage time-critical correspondence and keeps you current on dilemmas calling for attention – before they impact the project routine and spending plan.