Submittal
Also: Product data, Samples, Submittal schedule
Quick definition: Information the contractor provides to the consultant for review during construction — shop drawings, product data, samples and similar — to show how the work will meet the contract documents.
Explanation
Beginner explanation
Before installing something, the contractor sends details of exactly what it plans to supply (a drawing, a product sheet or a physical sample) to the architect or engineer, who checks that it matches the design.
Technical explanation
AIA A201-2017 (§3.12) groups submittals into shop drawings, product data and samples. Submittals are generally not contract documents: they demonstrate how the contractor intends to comply. The consultant reviews them for general conformance with the design concept; responsibility for dimensions, quantities, fabrication and coordination stays with the contractor. Submittals must normally be reviewed before the related work begins, so a submittal schedule is coordinated with the construction schedule. Other submittals include mock-ups, test reports, operation and maintenance manuals and warranties.
Practical example
The curtain-wall trade submits shop drawings, glass product data and a full-size corner mock-up. The architect returns the shop drawings "reviewed as noted" with comments on sightlines, and the mock-up is approved as the quality benchmark.
Why it matters
Submittal review is the last design check before materials are ordered and fabricated. Late or rejected submittals are a frequent cause of schedule delay.
Common confusion
A submittal shows how the contractor will meet the design; an RFI asks what the design means.
Standards and references
- What Is a Submittal in Construction? Common Types and Why They Matter. AIA Contract Documents.Widely accepted professional interpretation
Supports: A201-2017 §3.12: shop drawings, product data, samples; submittals not contract documents; architect reviews for conformance with design concept; contractor retains responsibility
VDC Stack.io writes its own explanations and does not reproduce copyrighted standards text. Consult the cited standard for normative wording.
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VDC Stack.io. (2026). Submittal. In VDC Stack.io Knowledge Dictionary. Retrieved from https://vdcstack.io/dictionary/submittal/