The BIM in Public Bidding It is no longer just a trend—it has become a requirement. In Spain, the government is moving toward making BIM mandatory in construction and engineering services contracts, and companies that aren’t prepared will lose bids they used to win. This isn’t a matter for the future—it’s already happening.
The Rise of BIM as a Requirement in Public Procurement in Spain
The Mandatory Use of BIM in Spain is set in the BIM strategy promoted by the Ministry of Transportation, which establishes a timeline for phased implementation in public procurement. Publicly Funded Construction, Infrastructure, and Civil Engineering Projects They are under scrutiny, and the requirements in the bidding documents are becoming increasingly specific and verifiable.
BIM regulations for public contracts are no longer limited to requiring that companies «be familiar with BIM»; they now mandate specific maturity levels, specific documents, and designated personnel within the project team.
What Do Public Bids Require in Terms of BIM?
Required BIM Maturity Levels (LOD)
The LOD in BIM tenders defines the level of detail at which project elements must be modeled in each phase. An LOD 200 in the preliminary design phase is not the same as an LOD 400 in the construction design phase. Tender documents that require BIM increasingly specify the required LOD by element type and phase, and companies must understand what this means and how to deliver it.
Required BIM Documents
The BEP, or BIM Execution Plan, is the key document required by tenders: it defines how BIM will be implemented throughout the project, what software will be used, how the models will be managed, and who is responsible for each deliverable. Without a solid BEP, many bids cannot be submitted.
BIM Roles and Responsibilities in Projects
The The most advanced calls for bids already require that the company identify the BIM Manager and BIM Coordinator of the project in the proposal itself, with verifiable experience. This changes the logic behind team composition and requires that these profiles be available before submitting a bid.
BIM Execution Plan (BEP)
The BEP It's not just a formal requirement: It is the BIM work roadmap for the project. Doing it right requires genuine methodological expertise—it’s not just a matter of installing software. Companies that have their own templates and the know-how to adapt them to each bid save time and produce higher-quality results compared to those that wing it for every bid.
Impact on Construction and Engineering Firms: A Structural Change
BIM Implementation It is not a software update. It changes workflows, roles within the team, relationships with subcontractors, and the way documentation is delivered. Companies that treat it as a superficial change end up with BIM models that no one uses and traditional processes that don’t mesh well with the new requirements.
Risks of Not Adopting BIM in Public Bidding Processes
A construction company without BIM not only loses bids outright—it is also excluded from consortia and joint ventures with companies that do have BIM capabilities, because it holds the entire group back. The risk isn’t just failing to win a bid—it’s being left out of the high-value public procurement ecosystem.
Key BIM Roles in the Company: Who Needs What Training
BIM Manager
Leads the company's BIM strategy and oversees its implementation in projects. Requires advanced training in BIM management, BIM plan development, and the coordination of multidisciplinary teams. BIM Manager training and certification is among the most in-demand in the industry.
BIM Coordinator
Coordinates the project's federated model, identifies conflicts between disciplines, and ensures that deliverables meet client requirements. Works at the project level, not the company level.
BIM Modeler
Creates models for each discipline with the required level of detail. Requires specific training in modeling tools and company or project standards.
BIM Specialist by Discipline
Technical professionals in structural engineering, building systems, or urban planning who use BIM within their discipline. The most efficient BIM course for technical firms tailored to this profile combines methodological fundamentals with tools specific to their field.
How to Implement BIM in an Engineering or Construction Company
BIM Digital Maturity Assessment
The starting point is to know exactly where the company stands: which processes are already digital, which tools are being used, and which employees have received training and which have not.
Phased Implementation Plan
Successful BIM implementation in a construction company doesn't happen overnight. It is prioritized by project type, discipline, or team, and is gradually expanded as lessons are learned between phases.
Team Building
Without specific training tailored to each role, the implementation will fail. Structuralia designs specialized BIM training programs for BIM Managers, Coordinators, and Modelers, led by instructors who are currently working in companies in the construction and infrastructure sectors.
Tool Selection
The choice of software should follow the strategy, not the other way around. Tools such as Revit, ArchiCAD, and Civil 3D have different use cases depending on the discipline and type of project.
Change Management
The biggest obstacle to BIM adoption isn't technical—it's cultural. Teams accustomed to traditional processes need support, not just training.
Competitive Opportunities for Companies with a High Level of BIM Maturity
The companies with true BIM maturity access Higher-value bids reduce errors during the construction phase and improve coordination with the property owner and the project management team. The benefits of BIM in bidding and construction translate to fewer changes, fewer conflicts, and a higher likelihood of repeat business.
The use of BIM in public tenders is here to stay. The question isn’t whether your company will need to implement it, but whether it will do so on its own terms or in response to pressure from the next tender that comes along.
BIM Trends: Digital Twins, OpenBIM, and 7D BIM
Trends are pointing in three directions that are already shaping the requirements of the most advanced tenders.
The digital twin It is the natural evolution of the BIM model: a model connected to real-time data that allows for the management of an asset throughout its entire lifecycle, not just during the design and construction phases. The most advanced public agencies are already beginning to require the delivery of the digital twin as part of the final project documentation.
The OpenBIM It promotes interoperability between tools and disciplines through open formats such as IFC, reducing dependence on specific software and facilitating collaboration among companies using different platforms. In tenders involving multiple contractors, OpenBIM is becoming a de facto standard.
The 7D BIM It incorporates lifecycle management and sustainability into the model: energy efficiency, carbon footprint, and predictive maintenance. It is the point where BIM and the ESG reporting requirements—which European regulations are mandating for public infrastructure—converge.
These three trends are not just concepts for the future: they are already appearing in bid documents. Companies that incorporate them into their actual capacity will have a competitive advantage that will be very difficult to match.
