RFI stands for Request for Information. In the context of energy projects and environmental assessments, an RFI is a formal process used to gather specific information needed to evaluate project eligibility, scope, or technical performance. We use RFI processes when assessing energy efficiency opportunities, measurement and verification requirements, or environmental certificate applications where clarification or additional evidence is needed before proceeding to the next project stage.
RFI stands for Request for Information. In the context of energy projects and environmental assessments, an RFI is a formal process used to gather specific information needed to evaluate project eligibility, scope, or technical performance. We use RFI processes when assessing energy efficiency opportunities, measurement and verification requirements, or environmental certificate applications where clarification or additional evidence is needed before proceeding to the next project stage.
An RFI is a structured approach to identifying and collecting information required to scope an engagement appropriately. When starting an energy project assessment, we may issue an RFI to establish site locations, operating constraints, available evidence, business decisions, and measurement responsibilities. This systematic information gathering ensures the initial brief contains enough detail to define scope, deliverables, exclusions and the evidence needed for the next decision stage.
During the Assess stage—the first of our six-stage delivery approach—an RFI helps identify opportunities and missing evidence. The company may request information about energy audits, utility benchmarking data, forecasting inputs, metering capabilities, and monitoring requirements. This structured information request ensures the assessment team has access to relevant operating records, equipment details, production schedules and historical energy data needed to characterise baseline conditions and identify improvement opportunities accurately.
An RFI during measurement and verification setup ensures that project boundaries, baseline conditions, implementation dates, and data collection responsibilities are clearly defined before work begins. We use RFIs to establish what meters or intervals are available, which energy streams will be included, what operating variables could affect consumption, and who will be responsible for data access and quality assurance. Early clarification through an RFI reduces delays and supports credible savings determination.
When supporting environmental certificate applications, we may issue an RFI to gather location, equipment specifications, existing and proposed operating conditions, project timeline, and ownership arrangements. The RFI also requests records distinguishing estimates from measured data, evidence of any prior installation or nomination, and details of existing grants or environmental-attribute assignments. This comprehensive information collection supports eligibility assessment and prevents delays caused by incomplete scheme documentation.
A site should compile available energy bills, interval data, production records, equipment information, existing studies and quotes, prior funding or certificate arrangements, and chronological records of project milestones. Identify the responsible person for each evidence item and flag missing data clearly rather than delaying submission. We recognise that perfect datasets are rarely available; documenting what exists, who owns it and where gaps are allows the company to establish an appropriate starting scope and define what information should be collected next.
An incomplete RFI response may delay assessment if critical information is missing, but it need not prevent an initial conversation. We can often establish an engagement scope based on available information if gaps are visible and an owner is assigned to each missing item. The key is transparency: clearly distinguishing estimated from measured data, identifying major omissions and explaining why information is unavailable. This approach enables the company to confirm what evidence must be collected before the next decision point.
Timing-sensitive pathways—such as ACCU projects with newness requirements or energy schemes with specific commencement dates—can be affected by when information is assembled and when commitments are made. An RFI issued early in the project captures the actual chronology of studies, approvals, purchases and installation, which advisors then use to assess whether particular funding or certificate pathways remain available. This early information gathering can prevent the loss of incentive eligibility caused by undisclosed prior commitments.
