The Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR) form part of the appointment and tender documents on a project to enable suppliers to produce their initial BIM Execution Plan (BEP). The document is created early as possible (pre-appointment or pre-contract document and before the appointment of design or construction suppliers) either in-house by the Employer or is often the case by their professional advisors (it is essential that the advisor has experience in the creation of EIR documents).
It is important that the EIR grows over time and initially the first iteration might be limited to support a design appointment and secondly to facilitate the procurement of a main contract.
In a BIM Level 1 environment the EIR is a much lighter document than BIM Level 2 however again the principles remain the same.
The Employers Information Requirements (EIR's) is a pre-tender document and it sets out the information to be delivered, standards and process that the supplier should adopt during the project delivery process.
The BIM Level 1 EIR defines what the employer wants to get out of the information model at each project stage and especially at handover. For example, if an employer wants their Facilities Management (FM) team to implement a variable maintenance schedule, this needs to be set out in the EIR so the project team knows they must produce electronic documents and data allied to a full product specification.
Information Requirements determined in the ClientInformation Model need to be defined as part of the Employer’s Requirements. The EIR defines which information and CAD outputs need to be produced at each project stage – together with their purpose. These information exchanges help facilitate effective decision making at key stages of the project. Employer’s information requirements usually include:
- Standard methods and procedures providing clarity on information formats and naming conventions and guidance on how to supply information;
- Prescribe the standards and processes that suppliers need to adopt as part of their contract or appointment;
- Information-related roles and responsibilities giving a clear definition of information-related roles and what is expected from them; and
- An information delivery plan or information schedule identifying which information deliverables should be delivered, by whom and when.
The content of the EIR covers three main areas:
Technical – details of software platforms, CDE, CAFM systems used by the Client etc.
Management – details of information management processes to be adopted
Commercial – details information deliverables, timing of information exchanges and definitions of information purposes.
Technical Content
This section of the BIM Level 1 EIR establishes the technical information requirements, including:
Software Platforms:
The purpose of this section is to communicate the software platforms and versions where these are known and where they might influence the preparation of a bid. It should define clearly what software platforms that the Employer uses, for example their Common Data Environment (CDE), Computer Assisted Facilities Modelling (CAFM) and CAD systems. It should be noted that the suppliers must ensure alignment of information and data deliverables with these systems.
Additionally, any update or change in software versions must be agreed by the client and project management team in advance.
Data Exchange Formats:
The purpose of this section is to define the formats used to deliver data at data drops (supplier information exchanges). The file formats and where appropriate versions should be prescribed to ensure that exchanges are in a data format that the employer can use.
It should be noted at the beginning of this section that all data and information should be exchanged via the CDE using naming as per the requirements of BS 1192:2007
A matrix of exchange formats [native format and exchange format] should be defined which will include as a minimum:
- CAD files
- Documents and Reports e.g. PDF Files that are fully searchable
- Tabular data
- Photographs
- Asset data
- Analysis
- Survey data
It is recommended that the EIR also specifies early trial information exchanges to identify any technical or collaboration issues.
Co-ordinates:
The purpose of this section is to ensure the implementation a common coordinate system for all geometric data with consistent adoption for all CAD models. It should define requirements for the common coordinate system for all CAD data.
• The suppliers should confirm the spatial coordination proposals in their submitted BEP including:
• Intersection of grids in global coordinates Easting and Northing
• Finished Ground Floor Level (FFL)
• Datum information
• Units to be used
It should be noted that all project files should share the same Survey Point and Coordinates.
CAD protocols:
The employer should set out any existing CAD standards or protocols they wish the supply chain to follow regards: 2D graphical output including drawings, renders, reports and schedules.
Training:
The employer should set out any explicit training requirements in the use of any software tools e.g. CDE packages provided by the suppliers. The section should provide bidders with details of training that will be provided in connection with project systems, or training requirements which the bidder will be required to deliver as part of their appointment/contract.
Management Content
This section deals with setting the standards to be used for the definition and delivery of the project, along with how the design co-ordination and review processes will be managed.
Standards:
Establish the processes and procedures that are going to be adopted to manage the information flow, delivery and security on the project. Definitions of the core documents and standards that are to be mandated on the project to enable BIM Level 1.
Stakeholder roles and responsibilities:
Clarity should be given on roles, responsibilities and authority. Clear requirements should be set out especially for Information Manager, Built Asset Security Manager [if appropriate], CAD Authors, Task Information Manager, Interface Manager and Lead Designer requirements.
This section should bring to the attention of the project team the allocation of roles associated with the management of project information. The roles themselves should be addressed in specific appointments and ERs.
Planning the Work and Data Segregation:
CAD Management proposals and naming conventions [consistent with BS 1192:2007] should be sought from the suppliers.
Zones and Area break-down proposals should be set out in the designers BIM Execution Plan.
The employer should establish any technical limitations which may affect the planning of the works or data segregation.
Fully documented procedures should be sought from the bidders and included in their BIM Execution plan.
Security:
The purpose of this section is to communicate client specific security measures required in order to manage sensitive data and information. Details should also be sought in terms of security in relation to the suppliers CDE.
Refer to Strategy to Determine the Built Asset Security
Design Coordination process:
Proposals should be sought from the bidders via their BEP as to:
- Details of their clash avoidance, clash detection workflows / reporting, and clash resolution processes
- Request for Information and Technical Query workflows
- Tolerance strategy
- Communication strategy for multi-disciplinary reviews
Collaboration Process:
The employer should establish any specific collaboration requirements especially with regards information archiving.
The EIR should also be used as a means of establishing the supplier’s proposals for collaborative working practices, frequency of meetings, details of design / soft landings review workshops and how they intend to share information up and down the project tiers.
Soft Landings Process:
Details of Soft Landings requirements, reality check review meetings, after-care provision and post-occupancy evaluation surveys should be included in this section. Ideally the EIR will also include an outline soft landings plan.The supplier shall in in their BEP provide details as to how they will deliver the soft landings requirements.
Health and Safety/ Construction Design Management:
This section should be used to determine the supplier’s approach to how digital enabled processes will be used to manage the employer’s H&S/CDM obligations and confirm key H&S information deliverables against each work stage. Any project specific requirements such as logistics and safety information should also be established.
Systems Performance Constraints
The purpose of this section is to communicate to bidders any constraints in the employer’s systems or specific IT requirements which may need additional resources or nonstandard solutions.Any limitations on maximum file size or other constraints should be established along with other performance related requirements.
Compliance Plan
The Employer should seek proposals for CAD and data compliance detailed in the BEP, which should refer to:
- CAD Quality assurance/control procedures
- Data validation processes
- Period of aftercare – (the number of years that the model should be managed for)
Delivery Strategy for Asset Information
This section should define the minimum standard by which data may transferred in and out of the Asset Information Management System (AIMS) including data schema. The suppliers should respond to these requirements as part of their BEP.
Commercial Content
This section looks at the information requirements, when the information will be exchanged and defines purposes for data and the content of key deliverables.
Data Drops and project deliverables
The data drops (information exchanges: CAD Files and Documents) should be set out in accordance with the Employer’s plan of work and identified gateways. The purpose of this section is to communicate the content of these data drops and how data drops are aligned to work stages.
This part of the EIR must be complete when issued to bidders for design or constructor tenders as a basis of pricing
Even in a BIM Level 1 environment there is still much meta-data that can be mined to and coupled with other data sets to support decision making.
Client’s Strategic Purposes
The section defines the details of the expected purposes for information provided. It is expected that the primary use of the data will be for the following purposes:
P01 Registration
P02 Use and utilisation
P03 Operations
P04 Maintenance and repair
P05 Replacement
P06 Assessment and re-use
P07 Impacts
P08 Business case
P09 Security and surveillance
P10 Regulation and Compliance
Information Management competence assessment
Defined project deliverables
This section is to include detail of specific information modelling deliverables e.g. fully rendered animated model renditions; fly/walk through visualisations; 4D programme models; solar impact analysis models. The specific requirements, stages and level of detail/definition should be clearly stated. These will likely be stand alone deliverables as opposed generated through a BIM workflow.
NOTE: Public sector employers may not wish to or be able or specify software packages to be used by their suppliers but may instead specify the formats of any outputs.
Information Management competence assessment
This section of the EIR seeks to ascertain and understanding a supplier’s information management approach, capability, capacity and competence is an important consideration for the employer. This is enabled through the supplier’s BIM Execution Plan (BEP) and their response to any tender stage BIM specific competence assessment.
The BEP is produced by the supplier, on behalf of their supply chain and is submitted to the employer to explain how the information modelling aspects of a project will be carried out to achieve BIM Level 1 and the specific data and information deliverables.
A BIM Level 1 assessment form should be incorporated within the BEP defining the supplier’s capability, resource and experience especially with regards: CAD, CDE and Information management systems.
Appendices to the EIR
In addition to the core EIR document there will likely be a suite of appendices, these may include:
Information Delivery plan or Responsibility Matrix defining the clients information exchanges to a sufficient for suppliers to create a Master Information Delivery Plan from.
A BIM Execution Plan Template for suppliers to populate.
Soft Landings Plan scheduling meeting requirements and key activities.
BIM Level 1 Assessment Forms standard assessment templates for the supplier to populate to demonstrate experience, resource and capability to deliver the information requirements.
Asset Management Codes details of and codes or naming conventions used by the client for facilities or asset management.
