PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island is formally asking companies to provide insight into how long it might take and what it may cost to rebuild the closed westbound Washington Bridge.

The request for information, or RFI, was sent out to potential contractors and posted on the state’s website Friday. It comes roughly two weeks after no companies submitted bids to build the bridge in response to the state’s offer of a roughly $360 million contract for the job.

The RFI essentially asks companies what they think it will take to build the bridge, which has been closed since a structural problem was discovered in December. More specifically, the state is asking potential bidders whether they even saw the initial bidding opportunity, as well as what aspects were “most attractive” and what were “most high risk.”

The strategy of gathering information before asking for bids is an about-face from the state’s first attempt at building the bridge. Gov. Dan McKee’s administration initially took a far more aggressive approach by issuing a request for proposals, or RFP, that demanded companies finish the job quickly or else face penalties.

State officials have acknowledged those potential penalties may have dissuaded some companies from bidding, along with the political controversy surrounding the bridge closure. McKee and members of his cabinet last week called the original RFP “too aggressive.”

“We pushed the envelope apparently beyond what the construction industry is willing to bear — we accept that,” R.I. Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti said at the time.

Now, state officials have scrapped any estimates for how much the project will cost, along with when they think it will be completed. McKee had initially set a goal of reopening the bridge by August 2026, just before the next gubernatorial primary election. His administration had offered up to $10 million in incentives if companies got the job done ahead of schedule.

RIDOT posted the RFI to the state’s portal Friday, giving anyone interested in providing feedback two weeks to submit information. The deadline is Aug. 2.

The RFI stipulates that no award will be made during the gathering process, and that responding to the RFI is not a prerequisite to participating in the future RFP process.

“Respondents choosing to respond to this RFI will not, merely by virtue of submitting such a response, be deemed to be ‘bidders’ or ‘proposers’ on the project in any sense, and no such respondent will have any preference, special designation, advantage or disadvantage whatsoever in any subsequent procurement process for the project,” state officials wrote.

State officials are also asking what they should consider to “ensure the success” of the bridge project, and what incentives or disincentives were “a significant consideration” in any decisions not to bid.

During the RFP process, companies were told they wouldn’t be granted any in-person meetings to answer questions. Now, state officials are saying that if they have any questions about the input they receive, companies may be invited to a meeting at RIDOT.

Just a day before the RFI was made public, a state panel gave the green light for Rhode Island to borrow $140 million to start covering costs tied to the Washington Bridge crisis.

The R.I. Commerce Corp.’s Access to Capital Committee on Thursday voted 2-0 to recommend that the full board authorize the use of so-called “GARVEE” bonds. (The acronym is short for Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle.) State officials are hoping to close on the bonds by Aug. 29.

The McKee administration currently pegs the price tag for the entire bridge crisis at $473 million , including emergency expenses, demolition and reconstruction.

Alexandra Leslie ( aleslie@wpri.com ) is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook .

Ted Nesi and Eli Sherman contributed to this report.

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