A request for comments is often issued by a government agency or regulatory organization seeking input from citizens, members or other constituents on a given subject, often related to the environmental review of a prospective project or on a proposed regulation change.
A request for comments often initiates a public comment period, a set range of time during which comments from the public are accepted, organized—often even responded to—and included alongside the final proposal being debated.
Comments solicited as a result of a request for comments are often submitted orally at public hearings, via letters and emails, or as electronic comments submitted on a dedicated project website.