What is the BIM Execution Plan (BEP) and what is used for?
BIM Execution Plan are a series of methods and guidelines aimed at achieving the objectives and BIM requirements defined by the client. Find out how to prepare one in this interesting article
The use of the BIM methodology represents the most efficient and effective way to develop a project within the AEC (Architecture, Engineering & Construction) sector.
What you need to know is that for the successful application of the BIM methodology, the drafting of a good BEP (BIM Execution Plan) is essential and preparatory. Let me explain why.
What is a BIM Execution Plan?
The BIM Execution Plan (BEP) is a fundamental document for the success of the BIM project and represents one of the reference functional tools for the correct management of a BIM order and for the synchronization of the workflow, from project planning to construction management.
The scope is to:
- provide guidelines on the management of the definition level (LOD) and on the management of information in BIM;
- help the work team identify their roles.
The BEP analyzes the client’s requests and the contractual contents present in the Information Specifications, describes through which decision-making phases, means, methods and IT solutions, the work team will lead and direct the BIM project. In addition, it clearly indicates the roles and responsibilities of the various professionals involved in the team.
The meaning of BEP in BIM explained in an image
A careful drafting of the BEP will guarantee on the one hand the satisfaction of the contractual contents and the needs of the various stakeholders and on the other a better communication and collaboration within the working group, with consequent timeliness in deliveries.
What are the two types of BIM Execution Plan?
There are two types of BIM Execution Plan, whose substantial difference is closely linked to the moment in which they are drawn up.
Pre-contract BEP – is required during the tender phase and serves potential suppliers to demonstrate their ability to meet the client’s requests. To this information are generally added details on the modelling of the information and on the design steps.
Post-contract BEP – is drawn up at the time the tender was awarded. The BIM Execution Plan is an official document with contractual value.
Obviously the post-contract BEP will require a greater effort: to the contents already present in the pre-contract BEP it is necessary to add some management information, project planning and analysis of the methods as well as description of the technological information solutions. For this reason, I advise you to better manage the design activities and data of the BIM process through a BIM collaboration platform that offers high security standards and allows you to work properly according to the BIM methodology.
Who prepares a BIM Execution Plan?
The BEP pre-contact award is drawn up by each potential supplier to describe the skills of their work team, to provide details on the BIM project’s digitalisation infrastructure capabilities, to propose their IT Solutions and at the same time also provide a project implementation schedule and a technical-economic proposal.
The post-contract BEP is instead drawn up by the contractor and the design team once the tender award phase has been completed.
Once the contract has been awarded, all the actors in the process will have to define the BIM Execution Plan (BEP) more accurately and comprehensively, including more operational details regarding the development and management of the BIM project.
What are the contents of the BIM Execution Plan?
The drafting of a BEP will always roughly follow a specific template, adapting it to the context of the specific order.
Often the model for writing a good BEP can be difficult, for this reason I give you an example of content that you should develop within a BEP:
- contractual contents present in the EIR (Employers Information Requirement);
- contractual contents described in the pre-contract BEP;
- contents aimed at confirming compliance with the specifications;
- previous skills and experience;
- technical and performance characteristics of the infrastructure;
- information modelling;
- definition of levels of information development (LOD);
- operational details of the management and management of the BIM project;
- roles and matrix of responsibilities (RACI or RAM);
- definition of cooperation processes;
- description of IT Solutions;
- objectives and uses of information models;
- definition of the information documents;
- compliance with standards;
- BIM software
- storage methods and delivery strategies.
- how data is shared;
- to be used during the project and its versions;
This is just an example of how to structure a BIM Execution Plan, but the contents can vary according to the specific order.
How to draft a BIM Execution Plan?
The creation of a BIM Execution Plan is closely linked to the specific order.
This means that there will be as many BEPs as there are projects. Below I propose a summary of the highlights that can serve as a guide for the planning and execution of a BIM Project.
The drafting of a BIM Execution Plan should follow the following fundamental steps:
- identification of the objectives and uses of BIM within the specific project: identify and analyse the objectives achievable through the application of the BIM methodology and describe what potential of BIM will be exploited to achieve these objectives. Once the fields of application of the BIM have been defined, for each of them the component, or components, of the team responsible must be identified, indicating the level of competence, experience and capacity;
- identification of BIM derivatives;
- identification of the phases of the BIM process, information modeling, identification of roles and responsibilities;
- identification of the infrastructure needed to develop a good BEP;
- definition of interdisciplinary interchange rules and methods of data sharing.
How to write a BIM Execution Plan
What makes a BIM Execution Plan good?
As already mentioned, the BEP is processed on the basis of the specific order and therefore the specific requests of the client.
A BEP becomes a good contractual document if it meets the requirements of the specifications by providing an accurate analysis and description of the fields of application of BIM within the specific BIM Project, identifying roles, responsibilities, times, costs and delivery methods.
