When a contractor submits an RFI (Request for Information) to the CEI, the CEI acknowledges the request and provides the official answer. This article covers acknowledging a submitted request and writing and sending your response.

CEI users with an Administrator, Project Manager, or Supervisor role can respond to RFIs.

Acknowledging tells the contractor you have received the request and are working on an answer.

On the project's RFIs page, open the request that has been submitted to you.

The status moves to In Progress, which shows the contractor that the CEI is preparing an answer.

With the request open, go to the Your Response section.

When you submit, you are asked to confirm, because the action cannot be undone. Once submitted, the response can no longer be edited, the status moves to Response Submitted, and the person who created the request receives an email.

I do not see the response fields. You need a CEI role that can respond (Administrator, Project Manager, or Supervisor), and the request must have been submitted to the CEI. Acknowledge the request, then use the Your Response section.

I cannot edit my response. Once you click Submit Response, the answer is locked and cannot be changed. Use Save and Continue while you are still drafting.

Can I save a response without sending it?
Yes. Click Save and Continue to save your answer as a draft without notifying the contractor. The contractor sees it only after you click Submit Response.

Who gets notified when I submit a response?
The person who created the request receives an email when you submit your response.

As a contractor, can I write the answer myself?
No. The CEI provides the formal response. The contractor submits the request and, once the response comes back, reviews it and marks the request complete.

For all RFI tasks, see the Requests for Information (RFIs) overview.