What you are about to read on this page is some (almost) super-secret stuff! It's so secret that most of your colleagues don't even know about it. Worse, they don't even know that they don't know about it. But it's not secret to you. Because you're a Full Contact PM, you know these secrets, so you can step to the head of the class. The rest of you, listen up — you're way behind the curve. Hey, we're talking some serious ''insider'' info here. Don't get left behind. Here we go.
Next, it's time to appreciate — to savor —how important the well-written RFI can be to your company and to your career. Simply put, a good RFI can often take the place of a letter. If you want to get someone’s attention, send out an RFI. Make that ''Send out a good, well-written RFI — a winning RFI — which can be both an offensive and a defensive play.''
And here are the key elements to that good RFI:
- It states when you ''require'' an answer. No longer do you ask for info ''ASAP.''
- There’s a tracking number on the RFI. This elevates its importance; plus, most specifications require it.
- There are two dates: the date written and the date required.
- You actually do track the amount of time it takes to receive an answer.
- You briefly state the question.
- You stress that this request for information has possible or probable money and time (critical path schedule) consequences.
- You always close with something like ''How shall we proceed?''
You are taking command of the situation — if you need an answer today, then say so. Even if the specs give the architect two weeks to turn around an RFI, you state the date that you need the answer. Be the squeaky wheel. Let everyone else wait. You need your info now; otherwise there may be time and money issues. If you do everything you can to keep your project on schedule, the construction manager will not complain about your RFIs.
I usually do not offer a solution to the problem — at least not in writing. I present the problem. I’m ''just'' the PM, and it’s up to someone else to fix the problem. After all, if the suggested ''fix'' doesn’t work, wouldn’t you rather have it be the creative genius of someone else?
Finally, when I ask how we are to proceed, everyone knows that the ball is not in my court. This is really helpful if you ever have to go into a claim situation.
Want to know something else that is really helpful if you have some kind of claim or litigation? It is handy as heck to be able to trot out a long list of questions (RFIs and letters) which had to be asked because the plans or specs did not provide the answers.
Still think that I’m exaggerating the importance of an RFI?
Here’s a simple test with two possible grades for you — ''pass'' or ''career change'':
- Say you go to court/mediation for $100,000 over some additional work your company performed. When you present your case, would you rather reference the fact that you had 100 RFIs or that you had no RFIs?
- If the issue has to do with liquidated damages, would you prefer to demonstrate that most of the answers to the RFIs took longer to answer than you required, or would you like the opposing attorney to state that you never requested a specific date, only ''ASAP,'' and that his client answered ''as soon as he possibly could''— and you never objected?
About the Author
''Coach'' Gary Micheloni is a working project manager, speaker, and consultant. He is the author of the book Get Paid for a Change! The Contractor’s Blueprint for Turning Extra Work into Extra Money — through Change Orders. He can be contacted at fullcontactblog.com.
