Submittal and RFI Logs: How a Project Coordinator Keeps Jobs Moving

On a construction project, information delays become schedule delays. A submittal that sits unreviewed holds up procurement of long-lead equipment. An RFI without an answer stops a crew in the field. Project managers know this, but they are also running meetings, managing subcontractors, walking the site and handling the owner. The logs that track submittals and RFIs often fall behind exactly when they matter most.

A remote project coordinator can own those logs. They cannot answer technical questions or approve anything, but they can make sure every item is logged, routed, tracked and chased until it is closed. This guide explains how to set up that role for general contractors and specialty subcontractors. The broader set of construction roles is described in our construction role playbook.

What submittals and RFIs are, briefly

Submittals are documents a contractor provides to show that the materials, equipment and methods they plan to use meet the contract documents: product data, shop drawings, samples, mock-ups, test reports and certifications. The design team reviews them and returns them with a status, such as approved, approved as noted, revise and resubmit, or rejected.

Requests for information (RFIs) are formal questions to the design team or owner when the contract documents are unclear, conflict or do not address a condition found in the field.

Both flow through a log, usually in a project management platform such as Procore, Autodesk Construction Cloud or a similar tool, and both create a record that matters later if there are disputes about time or cost.

The coordinator's role in the submittal process

The coordinator's job is administration, not technical review. In a typical general contractor workflow, they:

1. Build the submittal register from the specifications, listing every required submittal by section, with the responsible subcontractor and the required date.
2. Request submittals from subcontractors with the spec section, the requirement and the due date.
3. Log received submittals and route them to the project manager or engineer for the contractor's review.
4. Transmit reviewed submittals to the architect or engineer through the agreed channel.
5. Track review periods against the contract's review timeframes and send reminders before they lapse.
6. Distribute returned submittals to subcontractors and the field team, with the status highlighted.
7. Track resubmittals until each item is closed.

The coordinator also links submittals to procurement. When long-lead items are approved, they notify the project manager so purchase orders can be released, and they keep a simple tracker of fabrication and delivery dates provided by suppliers.

The coordinator's role in the RFI process

For RFIs, the coordinator:

• Logs RFIs drafted by the superintendent, project manager or subcontractors, with a clear number, subject, question, attachments, and the date a response is needed.
• Routes them to the design team or owner through the agreed channel.
• Tracks response time and sends polite reminders as the needed-by date approaches.
• Distributes answers to everyone affected: field team, subcontractors and estimators if there is a potential cost or time impact.
• Flags any answer that the project manager may want to review for a change order.

The coordinator never writes the technical content of an RFI or interprets an answer. They make sure questions get asked clearly, answered and shared.

Keeping the logs honest

A log is only useful if it reflects reality. Agree simple rules with the project team:

• Every submittal and RFI is logged on the day it is created or received.
• Status changes happen in the platform, not in email.
• Each item has a ball-in-court owner and a due date.
• Nothing is closed until the response is distributed.

The coordinator enforces these rules and runs a weekly aging report: items overdue, items approaching their due date and items without an owner.

Meeting support

Owner-architect-contractor meetings and subcontractor coordination meetings generate action items that feed back into the logs. The coordinator can prepare agendas from open items, take notes when invited to the call, publish minutes in your template for the project manager's approval and update the logs with new items. Our project coordinator vs project manager guide explains how the two roles divide work.

Document control

Alongside submittals and RFIs, coordinators often manage drawing and specification revisions: uploading new sets, publishing them to the field, superseding old versions and keeping a revision log. Field teams building from outdated drawings is one of the most avoidable errors in construction, and a disciplined document-control routine prevents it.

Closeout starts on day one

Closeout documents, including warranties, operation and maintenance manuals, attic stock records and as-builts, are easier to collect when they are tracked from the start. The coordinator can build a closeout register early, attach approved product data as it comes in and chase subcontractors for remaining items as the project nears completion. Owners notice when closeout is fast and complete.

Working remotely on a field-driven project

A remote coordinator needs the field team to feed them information. Practical habits:

• A shared channel or email address for submittals and RFIs.
• A short daily or twice-weekly check-in with the project manager.
• Photos and markups uploaded to the project platform, not texted to individuals.
• Clear instructions on which items the coordinator can send directly and which need approval.

Time zones help here. A coordinator in Mexico or Colombia shares most of the US working day, so they are available when the field team is. Each placement is dedicated, on a customized schedule based on your needs and budget.

A worked example: one submittal from start to finish

Imagine a mid-size commercial project with a rooftop mechanical unit that has a long fabrication lead time. Here is how the coordinator keeps that one item on track.

At the start of the project, the coordinator builds the submittal register from the specifications and lists the rooftop unit's product data and shop drawings under the mechanical section, assigned to the mechanical subcontractor. Working backward from the date the unit is needed on site, the project manager sets a required submittal date, and the coordinator records it.

A few weeks before that date, the coordinator sends the mechanical subcontractor a request with the spec section, the required content and the due date. When the package arrives, the coordinator logs it the same day and routes it to the project manager for the contractor's review. The project manager makes comments, the coordinator transmits the package to the engineer through the platform and records the date.

As the review period nears its end, the coordinator sends the engineer a courteous reminder. The submittal comes back "approved as noted." The coordinator distributes it to the subcontractor, the superintendent and the project manager with the notes highlighted, and immediately tells the project manager that the long-lead item is cleared for release. The subcontractor confirms the order and a fabrication date, which the coordinator records in the long-lead tracker. A week before delivery, the coordinator confirms the date with the subcontractor and alerts the superintendent so crane time can be scheduled.

Nothing in that sequence requires technical judgment from the coordinator. All of it requires attention, and that attention is what keeps a single item from becoming a schedule problem.

Onboarding a coordinator onto an active project

Joining mid-project is common. A practical first two weeks:

1. Platform access with the right permissions, plus the project directory and contract review timeframes.
2. A walkthrough of the current submittal and RFI logs with the project manager, marking anything stale.
3. A clean-up pass: missing owners, missing due dates and duplicate entries fixed.
4. The first aging report, reviewed together.
5. A list of approved templates for requests, reminders and transmittals.

Boundaries

The coordinator does not perform technical reviews, approve submittals, answer RFIs, direct work in the field or make commitments about cost or schedule. Those responsibilities stay with the project manager, superintendent, engineers and design team. Contract notices, such as notices of delay or claims, are handled by the project manager or company leadership with counsel, even though the coordinator may help assemble supporting documents.

A sample week

What to measure

• Submittal and RFI items overdue, tracked weekly.
• Average review time compared with contract timeframes.
• Items logged the same day they were received.
• Long-lead items released on time after approval.
• Closeout items received before substantial completion.

Common mistakes

Building the register late. Start from the specifications at the beginning of the project.

Email as the system of record. Statuses belong in the project platform.

No ball-in-court discipline. Every item needs an owner and a date.

Mixing administration with judgment. Let the coordinator chase and track; let technical staff decide.

Frequently asked questions

Can a remote coordinator work in Procore or Autodesk Construction Cloud?

Yes, with a named user account and the permissions your project administrator assigns. ExecWing screens for experience with the platforms you use.

Can one coordinator support several projects?

Often, yes, depending on project size and phase. Busy preconstruction and closeout periods may need more attention.

Does the coordinator attend site meetings?

They can join by video and take notes. Site walks stay with field staff.

What about subcontractor pay applications?

Many coordinators also track pay applications and lien waivers. See our lien waiver tracking guide.