Faster Submittals and RFIs: Corgan Reduces Delays In Their Construction Workflows With Newforma

Keeping up with submittals and RFIs can be a challenge in any fast-moving construction project. The back-and-forth between architects, contractors, and consultants often leads to delays, with emails piling up and approvals getting stuck in inboxes. At Corgan, an architecture and design firm that values efficiency, the team saw an opportunity to simplify this process—and they made it happen with Newforma.

Carina Wright, a Practice Technology Specialist at Corgan, has seen firsthand how the right tools can transform workflows. Before using Newforma, submittals were bouncing between multiple team members, sometimes passing through ten different hands before getting sent back to the contractor. Now, with an integrated system in place, they’ve cut that process in half—and the impact on project timelines has been huge.

In the past, handling an RFI or submittal at Corgan was anything but simple. The process started with an email notification, followed by a review from the architect. From there, it might be passed to the project manager, a project architect, or even a consultant. At best, that submittal would go through ten clicks, ten approvals, and multiple inboxes before reaching its final destination.

The biggest issue? A lack of structure. With so many people involved, there was no guarantee that a submittal would reach the right person at the right time. If it got lost in a crowded inbox or was accidentally forwarded to the wrong team member, approvals could take days—sometimes longer.

By integrating Newforma into their workflow, Corgan found a way to remove unnecessary steps and create a faster, more predictable approval process. Instead of a submittal bouncing between different stakeholders without clear accountability, it now moves through a structured, streamlined system that ensures it gets reviewed and approved as quickly as possible.

With this new approach, the number of interactions per submittal dropped from ten down to five. That means fewer delays, fewer emails, and a faster turnaround for the contractors waiting on approvals. What once took several days can now be completed within a single business day, keeping projects on schedule and reducing the administrative burden on architects and project managers.

The shift to Newforma’s integrated system has made a noticeable difference in how Corgan’s teams manage their workload. The benefits go beyond just speed—there’s also a greater sense of clarity and control over the process.

Wright sees even bigger opportunities to expand how Corgan uses Newforma. While the initial focus has been on submittals and RFIs, the firm is starting to explore how the same structured process can be applied to other aspects of project management.

“We can start to expand its ability into things like sending out a presentation to a client and being sure that the client sees that through a recorded session,” Wright explains. “Once we’re done with that presentation, we can use it to close that session and have a record of when it was sent, who reviewed it, and what feedback was given.”

This level of tracking and transparency is a game-changer. It’s not just about keeping construction projects moving—it’s about having a clear, documented workflow for every interaction, from client approvals to consultant reviews.

Corgan’s success with Newforma proves that small changes in workflow can lead to big results. By reducing the number of unnecessary steps in the submittal process, they’ve made approvals faster, improved communication, and created a system that scales across multiple projects.

For AEC firms looking to cut down on delays, reduce manual work, and create a more predictable approval process, Newforma offers a solution that works. As Corgan continues to explore new ways to improve efficiency, one thing is clear—having the right tools in place makes all the difference.