A request for information means the BCA needs more supporting information before it can decide the application. The statutory processing period is suspended while the response is prepared, so completeness and coordination matter more than sending a quick partial reply.
Keep the BCA's numbering and wording intact, then place a plain-English action underneath it. This preserves the audit trail while making ownership clear to the project team.
Record the RFI number, date, BCA reference and every numbered question exactly once.
Identify the discipline and person responsible: applicant, designer, engineer, fire, H1, drainage, owner or another specialist.
State the decision or evidence needed, not just a vague instruction to 'review'.
Flag questions that require clarification from the BCA before the team redesigns or produces unnecessary material.
02
Coordinate the revised set.
An answer often affects more than one file. Check each response against the full submission set so the fix does not introduce a fresh inconsistency.
List every new or revised document against the RFI item it answers.
Update revision numbers, drawing registers, calculations, specifications and producer statements together where they rely on the same change.
Use a concise point-by-point cover register that tells the processor where each answer can be verified.
Keep superseded files outside the response upload unless the BCA specifically asks for a marked comparison.
03
Quality-check before resubmission.
MBIE guidance notes that the clock is stopped while further information is gathered. A response should be internally reviewed and complete before it is returned through the selected portal.
Confirm every RFI item has an answer, an attachment reference or an agreed clarification path.
Check that professional design decisions and regulated work remain with the appropriately qualified person.
Verify the upload contains the final signed or issued files, not working drafts.
Save the RFI, response register and submitted files as one permanent project record.
OFFICIAL SOURCE BOUNDARY
Confirm the live BCA requirements before you submit.
This independent preparation guide summarises a national starting point. It is not council guidance, a complete project specification, professional advice or a prediction of approval. Property, work type and authority requirements vary.