A solicitation for information from potential suppliers of a product or service. The responses are non-binding, so should usually be taken “with a grain of salt”. They are used, in part, to manage expectations within the procuring customer. They also notify the potential technical base of emerging interest in specific materiel or services.
There are no limits on the types of information that can be requested, but it usually focuses on technical material (including availability). Cost information is not usually solicited in an RFI.
Responses to the RFI can be interpreted by the solicitor to indicate the degree of interest and/or familiarity possessed by potential suppliers, so are sometimes used to limit the list of potential suppliers.
An RFI is usually found as the first solicitation in a formal procurement process, often being followed by an RFQ when the responses hold promise. It can, however, be skipped when the solicitor already possesses enough information to do so.