Pre-Contract vs Post-Contract BEP: What Each Must Contain

The tender is due on Monday. Somewhere the requirement is a line asking for a BIM execution plan.

So, someone writes once over the weekend. It promises a lot. You win the job.

Then, three weeks later, the client hands that same document back to you and asks how you’re going to deliver everything in it.

That’s the gap between a pre-contract and a post-contract BEP. Understanding it helps you win the bid without making promises your team can’t keep.

What is a BIM execution plan?

A BIM execution plan, or BEP, explains how a project team will produce, share, and deliver information using BIM.

It answers practical questions. Who models what? To what level of detail? In which software? Where are the files stored? How are models checked? When is each piece of information due?

The BEP responds to the client’s information requirements. Under ISO 19650, these are called the exchange of information requirements, or EIR: the client’s list of what information they need, when, and in what form.

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What’s the difference between a pre-contract and a post-contract BEP?

Put simply: the first one helps you win. The second one is what you’re holding to.

What should a pre-contract BEP contain?

The pre-contract BEP is part of your bid. It should show the client that you understand their requirements and have a realistic plan. Typically, it includes:

• Your proposed team: the key people who’ll manage information, with their experience

• Your delivery strategy: how you’ll meet the client’s information requirements

• How models will be split and combined: for example, by building, zone, or discipline, then brought together for coordination

• A high-level responsibility matrix: which company is responsible for which information

• Proposed standards, methods, and procedures, including any changes you suggest to the client’s

• Proposed software, hardware, and IT setup

Keep it honest. Everything in it should be something your team can deliver.

What should a post-contract BEP contain?

After appointment, the post-contract BEP turns the proposal into a working plan. It confirms everything from the pre-contract BEP, then adds detail:

• Confirmed team and roles, including every company in the delivery team

• A detailed responsibility matrix, down to individual information deliverables

• Task information delivery plans (TIDPs): each team’s list of what it will deliver and when

• A master information delivery plan (MIDP): all the TIDPs combined into one project schedule

• Confirmed standards, methods, and procedures, including naming, model checks, and approvals

• The common data environment (CDE): the shared system where all project information is stored, reviewed, and approved, and how it will be used

• Confirmed software, versions, and file formats

Who writes and approves each BEP?

The pre-contract BEP is written by the team bidding for the work, usually led by the company that will be the lead appointed party, such as the main contractor or lead designer.

The post-contract BEP is written by the same lead after appointment, with input from every company in its delivery team. The client, or the client’s information manager, reviews it and accepts it before work begins.

If you’re a subcontractor or specialist, expect to contribute your part: your responsibilities, your delivery plan, and your software.

What are the most common BEP mistakes?

• Copying a template without tailoring it to the client’s actual requirements

• Promising more than the team can deliver to win the bid

• Vague responsibilities, where words like “coordinate” mean different things to different companies

• No delivery dates for information, only for drawings

• Software versions not agreed, leading to file problems later

• Writing it once and never updating it as the project changes

How does a pre-contract BEP become a post-contract BEP?

The best approach is to treat them as one document at two stages, not two separate documents.

1. Start from your pre-contract BEP and the client’s information requirements.

2. Confirm the team, including any changes since the tender.

3. Collect each company’s delivery plan and combine them into the master plan.

4. Agree for the details: naming, checks, approvals, file formats, and the CDE.

5. Flag any changes from the tender version and explain them to the client.

6. Submit for acceptance before work starts, then keep it updated.

If file formats are a sticking point between companies, an open format such as IFC can help. Open BIM: Transforming the Construction Industry explains how.

Do US projects use pre-contract and post-contract BEPs?

Not always by those names. ISO 19650 is required on many UK public projects and widely used across Europe and elsewhere. It’s less common in the US.

Many US projects follow guidance such as the Penn State BIM Project Execution Planning Guide, or the owner’s own BIM standards. The same idea still applies: a proposal-stage plan in the bid, and a fuller plan agreed after award.

For UK projects, our BIM services UK page explains how we support ISO 19650 delivery.

Frequently asked questions

Is a pre-contract BEP legally binding?It’s usually part of your tender, so it can shape what’s expected of you. The post-contract BEP is typically referenced in the appointment, which makes it the one your delivery is measured against. Check your contract.

What’s the difference between a BEP and an EIR?The EIR is the client’s list of information requirements. The BEP is your plan to meet them.

Can we use a BEP template?Yes, as a starting point. But tailor it to the client’s requirements and your actual team. A generic template is one of the most common reasons BEPs fail.

How long should a BEP be?Long enough to answer the client’s requirements clearly, and no longer. A focused BEP that people actually read beats a long one nobody opens.