If your work involves delivering BIM projects, chances are you will need to produce a MIDP or at least a TIDP. This article will help you understand what they are and when and how to create them.
First, let us crack the acronyms! MIDP stands for Master Information Delivery Plan whereas TIDP means Task Information Delivery Plan. Together with the BIM Execution Plan, they represent the most important plans of action which ensure a particular project is delivered in accordance with ISO 19650 and the UK BIM Framework.
Difference between MIDP and TIDP
The main difference between the MIDP and the TIDP is that the latter informs the former. The project’s various task teams are responsible for developing their own Task Information Delivery Plans. Following their completion, the Information Manager collates all the TIDPs into the MIDP. Generally, there will only be one Master Information Delivery Plan. The MIDP includes all the information deliverables of the project and their delivery schedule. It represents a comprehensive list of all the project models, drawings, renditions, specifications, reports, equipment, schedules, datasheets, etc.
Since the MIDP and TIDP usually take the form of a spreadsheet listing all the deliverables, some professionals within the construction and engineering industry think of them as ‘glorified deliverable trackers.’ Although the TIDP and MIDP have many similarities with the traditional deliverable trackers, they include far more information to comply with ISO 19650 and the UK BIM Framework.
When should you create the MIDP and TIDP?
It is the Lead Appointed Party’s responsibility to establish the Master Information Delivery Plan during the appointing stage of the project (clause 5.4.5 of ISO 19650-2). This means that the MIDP needs to be produced during the procurement phase of a project and before the Lead Appointed Party is officially appointed.
Therefore, if you are the Appointing Party, you will need to ensure that the Lead Appointed Party develops and submits a MIDP before executing the appointment officially. If you are a Principal Designer or Principal Contractor tendering for either the design or construction of a project, you will need to establish the MIDP as a Lead Appointed Party before you can be formally appointed.
If you are a task team within the Lead Appointed Party or a sub-contracted supplier (Appointed Party), you will need to develop and submit your TIDP to the Lead Appointed Party well in advance of the Lead Appointed Party being appointed, so that they can collate your TIDP into the MIDP.
How to develop the MIDP and TIDP
In terms of content, both TIDP and MIDP require the same quality of information. However, the MIDP will have more quantity as it is a collation of all the project’s TIDPs. Both plans should include the necessary details for each piece of information as required by the Exchange Information Requirements and the Project’s Information Requirements. The following sections explore some of the typical information requirements.
Project stage
This will inform as to the stage at which a particular piece of information needs to be delivered, such as preliminary design or construction. Each Appointing Party – or client – may have different naming conventions for the phases of their projects. Highways England, for example, uses phases called ‘Design Fix’ during the development stages, whilst Network Rail uses ‘GRIP’, which stands for ‘Governance Railway Investment Projects.’ On this basis, a particular piece of information – or deliverable – could be assigned to Design Fix 3 on a Highways England project, or to GRIP 4 on a Network Rail project. This naming convention should be defined by the Appointing Party.
Filename
This is generally a long code which includes a combination of numbers and characters. The filename must be unique to each individual piece of information. This will aid the mandatory process of change control through the Common Data Environment (CDE). The filename typically has different parts separated by dashes. For example, it can include identifiers for the project, originator, discipline, location, type, role, number, and extension.
Description
This generally corresponds to the title of the file. The filename is an identifier code, useful for file management and change control in the CDE. The description, however, serves the purpose of describing the file for quicker understanding. For example, a filename could be PCT1-GCAD-ME-GF-DWG-ME-0001.dwg (representing a file in Project 1, created by GlobalCAD as the author, within the Mechanical & Electrical discipline, located on the Ground Floor, being a drawing, developed by a Mechanical Engineer). However, the file name does not give a lot of direct information as to what the drawing is about. In this example, the description could be the title of the drawing, such as ‘Electrical layout – ground floor.’
Information Author
This part of the MIDP or TIDP should include relevant details about the author of each piece of information. As a minimum, it should include the resource name and the estimated duration to create the information. Although it is possible to include the name of a team, we would recommend including an individual’s name. Such an individual will have ownership and be responsible for the delivery of the information.
Schedule
The MIDP and TIDP need to include the delivery schedule for each piece of information. It should include dates for the key milestones. This is a key component of the MIDP and TIDP. This schedule will inform the overall programme that the Project Manager prepares.
Other information
The MIDP and TIDP can also include other relevant information. For example, it could include protocols to follow or standard methods and procedures to adhere to.
Do you add any further information to your MIDPs and TIDPs? Let us know in the comments!
