Node A6 · Acronym decoder
RFI
Request for Information
What it actually means
A market-research instrument: the government describes a need and asks industry what's possible, what exists, and roughly what it costs — with no contract at the end. Answering well is unpaid work that shapes the eventual RFP, which is exactly why serious competitors answer.
Where you'll meet it
Pre-solicitation market research; the first public signal of a coming procurement.