What is a BIM Execution Plan?
A client-side guide to understanding, reviewing and getting value from the BEP
Overview
A BIM Execution Plan (BEP) is a document produced by the contractor or design team that sets out how they will manage and deliver information on a project.
It describes the people, processes, technology and standards the appointed party will use to meet the client's information requirements, as set out in the Exchange Information Requirements (EIR).
Most guidance on BIM Execution Plans is written for the teams that produce them.
This guide is written for the organisations that commission, receive and critically, review
them.
Understanding what a BEP should contain, what a strong one looks like, and how to identify one that is unlikely to deliver usable information at handover is one of the most
important skills an estates owner or capital project manager can develop.
A BEP that looks comprehensive but does not address your specific operational requirements is not a good BEP. It is a risk.
What is a BIM Execution Plan?
The BIM Execution Plan is the contractor's formal response to the client's Exchange Information Requirements. Where the EIR specifies what information the client needs and to what standard, the BEP explains how the appointed party will produce, manage and deliver that information.
Under BS EN ISO 19650-2, a BEP exists in two forms:
01
Pre-appointment BEP
Produced before the contract is awarded. Submitted as part of
the tender response to demonstrate how the bidder intends to meet the EIR. Reviewed by the client as part of the appointment process.
02
Post-appointment BEP
Produced after the contract is awarded. Developed in detail by the appointed party following mobilisation. Becomes the live, governing document for information management on the
project.
In plain english
Think of the EIR as the client's order: 'This is the information we need, in this format, by this date.'
The BEP is the contractor's response: 'This is how we will produce and deliver it.'
A strong BEP gives the client confidence that the contractor understands their
requirements. A weak BEP is an early warning sign that information quality at handover will
be poor.
What should a BEP contain?
A well-structured BEP addresses six areas. Each can be assessed against the client's EIR
to determine whether the contractor's approach is likely to meet the organisation's actual
needs.
Project information
Basic project details, including the project title, location, client organisation, contract type, and the names of the key parties involved in information management. This section should also identify the Information Manager the individual within the appointed party's team who is responsible for information management. On large or complex projects, there may be multiple parties involved, each with defined responsibilities.
Project goals and BIM objectives
A description of the information management objectives for the project, aligned to the client's EIR. This section should make clear that the appointed party understands the purpose of the information being produced specifically, that it is intended to support operational use by the estates team, not simply to support design and construction. Strong BEPs in this section will reference the client's specific operational systems (for example, naming the CAFM platform into which asset data will be imported) and demonstrate an understanding of how handover information will be used. Weak BEPs reference generic BIM objectives that could apply to any project.
Information management process
A description of how information will be produced, shared, reviewed and approved throughout the project.
This should include:
• The information workflow: How information moves from production to shared to
published status in the Common Data Environment
• The information exchange schedule: What information will be delivered at each
project stage or gateway
• The review and approval process: How the client's comments are incorporated and
how information is formally accepted
• The process for managing changes to information: Version control, supersession and
archiving
Common Data Environment
Details of the CDE platform being used the software, the folder structure, the naming conventions applied, and the access arrangements for the client. The BEP should confirm that the client has access to the CDE for review purposes, not simply that information will be
delivered to the client at the end of the project.
Where the client has specified a preferred CDE or naming convention in the EIR, the BEP should confirm compliance or explain any proposed deviation.
Standards and methods
The information standards and methods the appointed party will apply, including:
• Classification system: Typically Uniclass or NRM for UK projects
• Naming conventions: The file and model naming protocol, ideally aligned to BS EN ISO 19650 or the client's own convention
• Level of information need: The detail of information required at each project stage, aligned to the EIR
• Coordinate system and survey base point: Essential for federated models
• Software and file formats: What tools are being used and what formats will be used for information exchange
Asset information delivery
This section is the most important for estates owners and FM teams, and the one most commonly handled poorly. It should set out in detail how the contractor will deliver the asset
information model at handover, including:
• The asset data requirements being met: Cross-referenced to the EIR or AIR
• The format of asset data delivery: COBie, direct CAFM import, or another agreed format
• The structure of O&M documentation: How manuals will be organised, named and linked to the asset register
• The process for validating asset data before handover: How the contractor will check completeness and accuracy
• The handover programme: When information will be delivered and in what sequence
What to watch for
Vague commitments such as 'asset data will be delivered in accordance with the EIR' without specifying what that means in practice.
No reference to the client's CAFM system or operational data requirements.
O&M documentation described as a single deliverable rather than a structured, asset- linked information set.
No validation process for asset data if the contractor is not checking their own data, the client will inherit whatever they produce
An information exchange schedule that only shows one handover delivery at practical completion, with no interim reviews.
Pre-Appointment BEP: What to look for at tender
The pre-appointment BEP is submitted as part of the tender response and is one of the most useful tools available to the client for assessing a bidder's information management
capability.
A strong pre-appointment BEP demonstrates that the contractor has read and understood the EIR, has the people and processes to deliver it, and has thought seriously about how the information they produce will be used by the estates team.
Pre-appointment BEP review checklist
☐ Does the BEP reference the client's EIR specifically, or does it appear to be a generic document submitted to multiple clients?
☐ Does the contractor name a specific Information Manager with relevant experience?
☐ Does the BEP demonstrate understanding of the client's operational context — their CAFM system, their estates team, their asset data requirements?
☐ Are the proposed CDE and naming conventions compatible with the client's requirements?
☐ Does the information exchange schedule align with the project programme and the client's gateway points?
☐ Does the BEP address asset data delivery specifically, rather than treating it as a subset of general documentation?
☐ Is there a clear process for the client to review and comment on information during delivery?
☐ Are the proposed software and file formats compatible with the client's systems?
Post-appointment BEP: managing it through delivery
Once the contract is awarded, the post-appointment BEP becomes the governing document for information management on the project.
It should be more detailed than the pre-appointment BEP, reflecting the contractor's full understanding of the project and the client's requirements following mobilisation.
The post-appointment BEP is a live document. It should be reviewed at key project milestones and not simply filed and forgotten.
Key management principles:
Treat it as a contract document
The BEP should be referenced in the contract as a project document, this gives the client the ability to hold the contractor to its commitments, for example, if the contractor's information exchange schedule slips or their asset data validation process is not followed.
Review it at information exchanges
At each information exchange point, the client's information manager should assess whether the information delivered matches the BEP's commitments.
Discrepancies identified early, for example, a naming convention not being applied consistently, or asset data attributes being incomplete, are far cheaper to correct than those found at handover.
Update it when the project changes
Significant design changes, contractor substitutions or programme revisions should trigger a review of the BEP.
If the contractor's approach to information management changes materially, the BEP should be updated and re-agreed with the client.
Do not accept it without review
Many clients receive the post-appointment BEP without reviewing it in detail. This is a
missed opportunity.
The post-appointment BEP is the point at which the contractor's information management approach is established in detail, and it is much easier to influence at this stage than later in the project.
The most common BEP issues on client projects
Based on experience reviewing BEPs across NHS, university and housing sector projects,
the following failures recur consistently.
Generic documents with the project name changed
The most common failure. The contractor submits a BEP that has been minimally adapted
from a previous project or an internal template.
It references the correct project name but does not address the client's specific information requirements, CAFM system, or operational context. These documents look complete but deliver little value.
Information management described but not planned
The BEP describes the contractor's approach in general terms 'we will use a CDE', 'we
will apply Uniclass', 'we will produce COBie at handover' without specifying how,
when, and by whom.
A BEP that describes rather than plans is a statement of intent, not a management tool.
Asset data treated as an afterthought
Design and construction teams are experienced at managing model information. They are
often less experienced at producing the structured asset data that FM teams need.
BEPs that address model management in detail but treat asset registers and O&M documentation
vaguely or leave them to a section at the end will typically produce poor asset
information at handover.
Client excluded from the CDE
Information management is not something the contractor does and then delivers to the client
at the end. It is a process in which the client should be an active participant.
BEPs that describe the CDE as the contractor's system rather than a shared environment to which
the client has access signal an approach that will result in the client being presented with a fait accompli at handover rather than information that has been progressively reviewed and validated.
What good looks like: a client's perspective
A BEP that genuinely serves the client's interests rather than simply satisfying a contractual requirement has a number of distinguishing characteristics.
It references the EIR specifically and addresses each requirement in turn, rather than describing the contractor's standard approach.
It names individuals with defined responsibilities, rather than describing roles generically.
It includes a detailed information exchange schedule that shows what will be delivered at each project stage, not just at handover.
It describes a validation process for asset data how the contractor will check completeness and accuracy before submitting to the client for acceptance.
It confirms the client's access to the CDE and the process by which the client reviews and approves information.
It addresses the handover information package specifically the asset register format, the O&M documentation structure, and the process for populating the client's CAFM system.
It includes a responsibility matrix that clearly identifies who is accountable for producing each category of information.
The client-side test
Ask yourself one question when reviewing a BEP:
if this plan is followed exactly, will our estates team be able to manage this building effectively from the day they receive the keys?
If you cannot answer yes with confidence, the BEP needs to be challenged before the
project begins not after practical completion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a BEP a legal requirement?
A BEP is not required by legislation. However, it is required under BS EN ISO 19650-2 and is a standard expectation on most public sector construction projects in the UK.
Many clients include a requirement for a BEP in their contract documentation, making it a contractual obligation. On publicly funded projects including NHS, university and local authority schemes a BEP is effectively standard practice.
Who writes the BEP?
The BEP is written by the appointed party typically the main contractor on a design-and-build project, or the lead designer on a traditional procurement.
On large projects, a specialist BIM Manager or Information Manager within the contractor's team is usually responsible. On projects with multiple tiers of appointment, each sub-appointed party may contribute to relevant sections.
What is the difference between a BEP and an EIR?
The Exchange Information Requirements (EIR) is the client's document, it specifies what information is needed, in what format and to what standard.
The BEP is the contractor's document it explains how those requirements will be met. The EIR comes first and drives the BEP. A BEP produced in the absence of a clear EIR will default to the contractor's standard approach, which may not align with the client's operational needs.
Can we reject a BEP?
Yes. The pre-appointment BEP is reviewed as part of the tender evaluation process and
can be a factor in appointment decisions.
The post-appointment BEP is typically subject to client approval before it is finalised. If the BEP does not adequately address the EIR, the client has the right to require the contractor to revise it.
Once the project is underway, significant deviations from an approved BEP should be formally documented and agreed.
What happens if the contractor does not follow the BEP?
Where the BEP is referenced in the contract, failure to follow it gives the client grounds for a contractual remedy. In practice, the most effective approach is to identify deviations early through regular information reviews during delivery and require the contractor to address them while there is still time and programme to do so.
Pursuing contractual remedies after handover, when the project team has dispersed and leverage is minimal, is costly and rarely produces good outcomes.
Should we appoint someone to review the BEP on our behalf?
For most estates-owning organisations, yes. Reviewing a BEP effectively requires both BIM expertise and a detailed understanding of how your organisation's operational systems work.
A client-side information manager can review the pre-appointment BEP as part of tender evaluation, negotiate the post-appointment BEP with the contractor, and monitor adherence to it throughout delivery.
This is a relatively low-cost investment compared to the cost of remediating poor asset information after handover.
About Lynefield
Lynefield is a client-side BIM and information management consultancy.
We work exclusively on behalf of estates-owning organisations including NHS trusts, universities, housing associations and other built asset owners to define their information requirements, manage the quality of information delivered by the supply chain, and ensure that information is usable by estates and FM teams from the moment a building is handed over.
Related Guides
The following guides from the Lynefield Knowledge Hub explore topics covered in this guide in greater depth:
• What is a Digital Twin?
• What are Organisational Information Requirements?
• What is an Asset Information Requirement?
• What is an Exchange Information Requirements document?
• What is COBie?
• Why BIM handovers fail