Ascertaining and understanding a supplier’s information management approach, capability, capacity and competence is an important consideration for the employer.
The employer should firstly develop a consistent and repeatable pre-qualification question-set for suppliers to demonstrate that they possess or have access to the expertise, competence and other essential capabilities to the extent necessary for them to be considered appropriate to undertake the BIM functions of the project and or programme aligned the employer’s proposed level of BIM maturity (as informed by the BIM grading tool).
Once into the procurement stage it is important that the employer determines the supplier’s proposed approach, resources and ability to meet the specific requirements set out in the EIR. 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.
As part of the employer’s assessment including experience a Project Implementation Plan (PIP) should be requested as part of the tender process. PAS1192-2 notes that the PIP shall include the supply chain capability summary form, incorporating the:
- supplier building information management assessment form(s);
- the supplier information technology assessment form(s); and
- the supplier resource assessment form(s).
The supply chain capability summary form allows easy comparison of the information within assessment forms. The PAS notes that the form should be completed by all appropriate organizations within the Delivery Team as part of the sub-contract procurement process.
The relationship between the assessment forms, project implementation plan and BIM Execution Plan is illustrated in the PAS1192-2 diagram below.
The following templates are avaliable to support this task:-
