A submittal is a document prepared by the contractor (or supplier or subcontractor) and submitted to the design team for review and approval before fabrication or installation. Common submittal types include shop drawings (custom millwork, structural steel, MEP systems), product data sheets (specifying materials and equipment that meet spec), and physical samples (tile, finishes, paint colors).
The submittal process verifies that what the contractor plans to install matches the contract documents and meets the design intent. Submittals are tracked in a numbered log similar to RFIs. Slow submittal review is a common schedule risk; long-lead items (custom equipment, specialty materials) need submittal approval well before fabrication starts to avoid project-wide delay.