BIM public procurement in Spain: how to prepare and check your IFC deliverables?

BIM in Spanish public procurement: a new data quality requirement

With the adoption of the National BIM Plan in 2023, Spain embarked on a gradual integration of BIM methodology within public procurement.

This framework, set out by Order PCM/818/2023, provides for several rollout stages up to 2030, with differentiated levels of requirements depending on the contracts concerned.

Since October 2025, a new stage of this timetable has applied.

For professionals responding to Spanish public tenders, this development highlights the importance of mastering not only model production but also the management of the information they contain.

In practice, the requirements may cover:

• The structuring of information associated with BIM objects.
• Compliance with the classifications and properties requested.
• Consistency of data across several discipline-specific models.
• The delivery of files in interoperable formats, in particular IFC.
• Verification of data quality prior to submission.
• The organisation of exchanges in accordance with the project's BIM procedures.

These obligations are not the same for every contract. They depend in particular on the public purchaser, the BIM level required and the contractual documents.

A correctly produced model is therefore not necessarily an IFC deliverable that meets the client's expectations.

Why do IFC files require specific preparation?

BIM design software such as Revit, Archicad, Allplan or Vectorworks is designed to meet the production needs of architects and engineers.

It allows the creation of geometric models, the documentation of structures and the management of information associated with construction elements.

When exporting to IFC format, this information is translated into an open exchange structure.

However, several difficulties can arise.

1. Heterogeneous properties

The same piece of information may be entered in different properties depending on the software, modelling habits or export settings.

For example, the fire resistance of an element may be described in separate fields, with different naming conventions or values.

2. Missing information

Certain properties expected by the client may not have been entered during design.

The IFC file may then be technically valid while still being incomplete with regard to the project's requirements.

3. Inconsistent classifications

Objects may be associated with categories or classifications that do not match the expected conventions.

These differences complicate checks, quantity extractions and data reuse.

4. Files that are too complex or insufficiently targeted

An IFC model may contain a great deal of information that is not required for a particular use.

It then becomes useful to prepare deliverables tailored to their intended use, without compromising essential information.

5. Repetitive checks

When several dozen models have to be processed, manual verification, correction and harmonisation operations can represent a significant workload.

The difficulty lies not only in producing BIM data, but in its ability to meet precise requirements, reliably and reproducibly.

The 6 steps for preparing an IFC deliverable for a public contract

The preparation of an IFC deliverable can be organised around a structured methodology.

Step 1 — Identify the BIM requirements of the contract

Before any work is carried out on the files, it is essential to analyse the contractual documents.

Depending on the project, these may include:

• The BIM specification or EIR (Exchange Information Requirements).
• The client's information requirements.
• The BIM Execution Plan (BEP).
• Naming and classification conventions.
• IFC specifications and, where they exist, IDS files.
• The verification rules and delivery arrangements.

The aim is to turn these documents into clearly identified operational requirements.

In particular, it is necessary to determine which information is mandatory, on which objects it must be present and according to which rules it will be checked.

Step 2 — Analyse the IFC files received

Before carrying out corrections, an initial diagnosis makes it possible to identify the actual structure of the models.

This analysis may cover the IFC classes, the properties available, the classifications, the quantities and the missing information.

It also makes it possible to identify differences between the practices of the various contributors.

The diagnosis is the starting point of a preparation process tailored to the project.

Step 3 — Harmonise properties and classifications

Once the discrepancies have been identified, the information can be reorganised to match the expected conventions.

This may involve:

• Renaming or reorganising properties.
• Standardising values.
• Associating classifications with the relevant objects.
• Transforming certain existing information.
• Adding properties where the necessary data is available.

This step must not be used to invent technical information that is absent. Missing data must be requested from the parties responsible for it where it cannot be established reliably.

Step 4 — Prepare models tailored to their uses

Not all recipients necessarily need the same level of information.

A BIM Manager, a quantity surveyor, a facilities manager or a body responsible for a technical check may have different expectations.

It is therefore possible to prepare IFC files tailored to the identified uses, in particular through filtering, selection and transformation of the data.

This approach makes them easier to use and limits unnecessary processing.

Step 5 — Check the compliance of the deliverables

The check must make it possible to verify that the data delivered meets the defined requirements.

It may cover:

• The presence of mandatory properties.
• The consistency of values.
• Compliance with classifications.
• The information expected according to object categories.
• The structure of the files and their usability.

Where requirements are expressed in IDS format, compatible tools can automate part of the checks.

It remains necessary to distinguish the compliance of IFC information from geometric, regulatory or trade-specific checks, which may require other tools and interventions.

Step 6 — Document and secure the delivery

The final step consists of preparing a coherent set of deliverables.

Depending on the contract's requirements, this may include the IFC files, the verification reports, the lists of non-conformities, the model versions and the tracking documents.

The aim is to enable the recipient to understand what has been delivered, which checks have been carried out and which points may still need to be resolved.

Simplebim: automating IFC preparation and transformation

The multiplication of BIM requirements can lead teams to spend a significant amount of time on data reprocessing operations.

It is precisely on this issue that Simplebim provides an operational response.

Simplebim is a solution specialised in the preparation, structuring and transformation of IFC data.

As a complement to design software, it makes it possible to work on the information contained in IFC files without requiring the models to be systematically reopened in their original software.

Standardising information

Simplebim makes it possible to set up processing rules to harmonise properties, organise information and prepare consistent structures.

This capability is particularly useful when models come from several different design software packages or teams.

Automating repetitive operations

Processing can be organised by means of reusable rule templates, in particular Simplebim templates.

Once the rules have been prepared and validated, they can be applied to new files with similar needs.

This limits manual intervention and promotes the reproducibility of operations.

Preparing IFC files for checks

By harmonising information and structuring the expected properties, Simplebim facilitates the preparation of models for verification procedures.

Specialised checks, in particular those based on IDS specifications, can then be carried out with the appropriate tools.

Simplebim thus contributes to the BIM data quality chain, without replacing the full set of regulatory or trade-specific validation tools.

Industrialising the processing of several models

For organisations that regularly receive IFC files, reusing processing rules is of major interest.

It makes it possible to limit repetitive operations, improve the consistency of deliverables and devote more time to analysing anomalies that require human expertise.

Concrete example: preparing 30 IFC models for a public project

Let us take the example of a public construction project bringing together several design teams.

The BIM Manager receives 30 IFC files from various parties.

The specification requires, in particular, classification conventions, mandatory properties and information structuring rules.

Without an automated process

The teams have to analyse each file, identify discrepancies, carry out the necessary harmonisation and perform the checks.

When the same operations are repeated across several models, the time spent processing the data can become significant.

With a process structured around Simplebim

The teams can establish a common methodology:

• Analyse a representative sample of the IFC files.
• Identify recurring discrepancies with respect to the project's requirements.
• Build and test Simplebim transformation rules.
• Apply the validated rules to the relevant files.
• Check the results and identify any remaining anomalies.
• Prepare the files for their final delivery and verification.

Repetitive operations are thus handled by a reproducible process, while professionals focus their involvement on exceptions and technical decisions.

The aim is not to eliminate human oversight, but to reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks in order to improve the quality of the work carried out.

The actual gains depend on the volume of files, their homogeneity, the complexity of the rules and the level of automation implemented.

ISO 19650 and IDS: requirements to anticipate

The growing momentum of BIM initiatives in Spain increases the value of having documented processes and verifiable data.

The ISO 19650 series of standards provides a methodological framework for organising information management.

The IDS standard, for its part, makes it possible to formalise certain information requirements in a way that can be processed by verification software.

These two approaches are complementary.

ISO 19650 helps define the organisation of processes, while IDS makes it possible to formalise certain expectations relating to the content of IFC models.

In this environment, data preparation is an essential step.

It makes it possible to bring the information actually produced closer to the requirements expected by the client.

Benefits for large companies as well as small organisations

Large construction companies and engineering firms are particularly confronted with the multiplication of files and parties involved.

For them, standardisation and automation make it possible to organise more consistent processes across several projects.

But small organisations can also benefit from this approach.

An architectural practice or a design office can improve the quality of its deliverables by relying on preparation rules tailored to its recurring needs.

The benefit is therefore not solely linked to the volume of files processed.

It also depends on the frequency of the operations, the time required to carry them out, and the ability to capitalise on reusable methods.

Mastery of IFC data is becoming a productivity factor accessible to organisations of all sizes.

Towards a new generation of BIM processes in Spain

The gradual rollout of the Spanish BIM Plan represents an opportunity to evolve professional practices.

Companies that anticipate the requirements for structuring, interoperability and data quality can better prepare their responses to the public contracts concerned.

This development also calls for a reconsideration of long-standing working methods.

Why spend hours manually repeating operations on IFC files when suitable rules can make it possible to reproduce them automatically?

Why wait until final delivery to identify inconsistencies that could be detected earlier in the process?

The challenge goes beyond the choice of software.

It involves building digital processes capable of producing information that is reliable, usable and tailored to the real needs of projects.

Simplebim: turn your IFC requirements into operational processes

The preparation and checking of BIM deliverables must not become a succession of complex manual tasks.

With Simplebim, professionals can structure their methods, automate recurring processing and improve the quality of the data exchanged.

Our network of BIM experts supports organisations in identifying their needs, defining processing rules and integrating Simplebim into their processes.

“Technology makes transformation possible. Human expertise makes it operational, sustainable and value-creating.”

Are you preparing IFC deliverables for public contracts?

Would you like to harmonise the properties of your models, automate your IFC processing or prepare your data to meet your clients' requirements?

Contact the Simplebim team to arrange a demonstration using your own IFC files and identify the automation possibilities suited to your activity.

Sources and references

BIM Plan of the Spanish General State Administration — Order PCM/818/2023 of 18 July 2023 ↗

Spanish Ministry of Finance — BIM policy in public procurement ↗

buildingSMART Spain — Resources on IFC and IDS standards ↗

buildingSMART International — openBIM standards ↗

Spanish public procurement platform ↗

Published: October 2026. BIM and IFC delivery requirements must be verified against the contractual documents specific to each contract.