RFIs 5

[StrucEngg]

Just wanted to get your thoughts on how to answer RFIs. I understand you have to brief in your response.
But in particular, do you ever use "Please" in your response?

 

[kipfoot]

I don't use 'please' for specific directions, but I use it generally otherwise.
ex: "use a 3 bolt connection"
or: "please refer to the sketch, SK2"

Like writing emails (or on a message board), it's easy for a reader to misinterpret your tone. A 'please' here and there helps foster a little goodwill from the people on the other end of the RFI.

 

[Ron]

When I write a field directive, I'm not asking, I'm telling. Make it clear and concise, not in passive voice, but active voice.


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[dold]

Today i marked up some joist and deck shops:

"please pay attention to the revised joist notes on S0.0..."
next note
"joist fabricator shall provide calculations..."

In the first note i'm talking to the detailer/engineer, giving them a heads up just in case they didnt catch the revised notes. In the second note I am directing/requiring the fabricator to do something. They do not necessarily 'have to' pay attention to the revised notes on s0.0... but it's going to save both of us another round of review. But they absolutely must provide calculations or I - and the AHJ - will reject their submittials until they do.

My situation might be a bit different as i do a lot of production retail work where I deal with the same people (same initials on shop drawings/rfis/etc) on dozens of projects. Joist and deck guys have access to our .dwg files and have wasted no time in just copying our tables into their shop drawings (special joist diagrams). No need to get pissy with them, and all the reason to lend a hand, help them understand what the table means so I can keep using it and they can be comfortable interpreting it. I've realized that people can't read my mind. I communicate to them what i want to see on every set of shop drawings, then the next time i see a set of their drawings it has that info on it. Good, now i won't have to check these again, and they wont have to revise their shops.

 

[IRstuff]

Are we confusing RFI (information) with RFP (proposal)? Government RFIs are not legally binding at all, nor are RFPs, or their responses, prior to contract award, and there is typically a BAFO iteration that forms the final contract, SOW, and deliverables. The RFIs that we deal with are typically caveated that there is no promise of contracts or procurements; they're simply a request for information (sales and technical). Most proposals are simply waste paper after the award, since the contract, SOW, and specification are the binding documents, usually. Only in rare cases, stipulated ahead of time, would the proposal become contractually binding.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
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[cvg]

this is strictly construction phase field and office engineering directives to the contractor and not federal contracting. there is no CO or COR review or approval of field orders

 

[Agent666]

In this part of the world RFI responses are eventually issued as CI's (Contract Instructions) by the engineer to the contract, as such they become contractually binding. 'Engineer to the contract' might be the engineer, architect, project manager, etc.

 

[bridgebuster]

I use kindly; my first boss said never use please. I only use kindly when I don't want to make the questioner appear stupid.