I was disappointed to read a recent local newspaper article about the settlement of a lawsuit surrounding a local project that is the winner of multiple awards. According to the article, there were more than 400 RFIs (requests for information) submitted by the contractor. The article also states that there were several design features that were poorly executed or simply didn’t work as intended.
I have to say that the building in question is quite beautiful and has been honored as a green structure, but 400 RFIs? In my mind, 400 RFIs on a project this size is an inexcusable number and makes me question the adequacy of the construction documents (which I haven’t seen, by the way) to convey the design intent.
“Successful, timely, and cost-effective construction relies on appropriate communication of a project design by the design team to the contractor and supplier team on behalf of the owner. From project conception through design and construction to facility management, effective communication of the project requirements depends largely on having complete and coordinated construction documents.”
The quote above begins the introduction to Chapter 11 of The CSI Project Delivery Practice Guide (PDPG). The PDPG is the primary source document for the CDT exam. The CDT is the gateway credential into the CSI Certification Program. All CSI certified professionals (CCS, CCPR, and CDT) hold the CDT credential, as it is a prerequisite to the certification exams.
Holders of the CDT have a working knowledge of construction documents and procedures. They are aware of steps in the facility life cycle, have some knowledge of the legal issues associated with construction, and can assist an owner with the construction procurement process. As holders of the credential, they know what information should be included in a set of construction documents and, more importantly, can recognize when it is missing. Including pertinent and appropriate information in the CDs will minimize the number of RFIs on a project.
Registration will be opening soon for the spring certification exams. Because of the time necessary to absorb the material, candidates should begin studying now. Study materials are available from www.csinet.org/certification .
Charlottesville Architect 
RFI’s are part of the communication process in making sure implementation of design intent is correct. Did the architect have an experienced specifier assist in the design? Sometimes poor specifying results in a higher number of RFIs. How many change orders were there? Sometimes they correlate with the number of RFIs. Was the project competitively bid? Some of these projects have more RFIs than seem normal. How did the final cost compare to the initial contract price? If it was substantially higher, why so? Does the contractor have a history of grinding RFIs and change orders? A high number of RFIs alone do not equate with a bad project.