Soft Market Test Exercise - BIM Software and Specialist Training Service

Stockport Council’s, Highway & Transportation Service (H&T) has utilised short-term contracts for the provision of software and specialist training to provide them with highway design support over the last decade. In May 2011 the UK Cabinet Office implemented a long-term construction strategy aimed at improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of government construction projects. The strategy called on the construction industry to work more collaboratively and to use information technology to support the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the government’s built assets. A central mandate of that strategy was the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) on all centrally funded public projects by April 2016.

For Level 1 BIM many firms use BIM software and processes internally to improve the quality of design or produce design documentation more efficiently but do not share their graphical model with external partners. Traditional drawings form the basis of project collaboration, coordination, and deliverables.

Level 2 BIM is a more sophisticated use of BIM that features collaborative working and sharing of digital project information. Project teams (designers, builders, fabricators etc.) use their chosen software tools to produce digital 3D models and supporting project data. Collaboration is achieved by the exchange of graphical and nongraphical information between the different parties on the project team to create a federated model.

The H&T Service would like to explore best practice in terms of working towards and achieving BIM Level 2 in terms of working within a collaborative delivery environment. We want to develop the service to maximise learning outcomes for staff and improve delivery of information to and from other key stakeholders (Clients/Consultants/Contractors). Consequently, the Council would like to invite interested organisations to participate in some soft market testing.