R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-5-29
Every individual not a resident of this state and every partnership composed of persons not such residents, having a usual place of business in this state, temporarily or permanently, or engaged here, temporarily or permanently, and with or without a usual place of business here, in the construction, erection, alteration, or repair of a building, bridge, railroad, railway, or structure of any kind, shall, before carrying on business in this state, file in the office of the secretary of state a written power appointing some competent person resident in this state as his or her or its attorney with authority to accept service of process against the individual or partnership in this state, containing an agreement on the part of the maker that the service of any lawful process in this state on the attorney shall be of the same force and validity as service on the individual or partnership; and providing, that, in case of garnishment, when the fees therefor shall have been paid or tendered, the attorney may make the affidavit required by law in such cases.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-5-29