Sharing a BIM model between a French engineering firm and a production team in Hanoi is not mainly a software problem. Revit, Tekla and Navisworks run the same way in both countries. What decides the outcome is agreement: on the level of detail, on naming, on who owns which part of the model, and on how comments travel. This article lists the points we settle with a partner before the first element is modelled.

Start from the partner's BIM execution plan

Our default position is that we work inside your BIM execution plan (the BEP, or convention BIM in French practice) and naming standards. If you have none for the project, we propose a short one-page agreement covering the same ground: model structure, level of development, units and origin, naming, exchange frequency and formats. The BIM cell in Hanoi is a dedicated modelling and coordination team; it adapts to your rules rather than asking you to adopt ours.

Agree the roles on both sides

On each project we name a project lead, a calculation lead and a BIM manager, and for French-speaking clients a coordinator as well. The BIM manager is the person who answers questions about the model; the project lead answers questions about scope and deadlines. Ask your own side to name equivalents. Most coordination problems come from not knowing who decides.

The organisation used on the Marrakech commercial centre illustrates the idea: production was built around a project lead, a calculation team leader and a BIM manager, tasks were allocated by work item and followed against a schedule. The same logic applies to a model: split it by discipline or zone, assign each part to a person, and track progress against a plan.

Choose exchange formats deliberately

We exchange native files (RVT, DWG, Tekla files, and SAP2000 or ETABS models) when both sides use the same software, and open formats when they do not: IFC for models, BCF for issues, DXF and PDF for drawings, XLSX for quantities and schedules. The rule of thumb is simple. Native files for editing, IFC for coordination and archive, BCF for comments, so that a clash is raised and closed against an identified element rather than described in an email.

Use your platform

Teams, SharePoint, ACC or the platform you require: we work where your information already lives, with secure transfer to your platform or ours. A weekly progress report and a shared issue log complete the picture. When a model is delivered, the issue log goes with it, so that comments and answers stay together.

What the model is used for

A model is worth building only if something comes out of it. The outputs we are asked for most often are:

  • drawings generated from the model, so that plans, sections and schedules stay consistent with each other;
  • clash detection and coordination between structure, architecture and technical trades;
  • quantity take-off by element, zone or phase, exported to Excel;
  • 4D simulation, when the programme needs to be checked against the model.

On the Rabat commercial centre, for instance, Vifatec built the 3D model, ran the global analysis of structure and roof, and developed the formwork drawings in Revit, beside a French structural engineering firm. The model served both the calculation and the drawings.

Quality control applies to models too

Before delivery, models are audited, and the two-step check applies: the author, then an independent checker. Comments and revisions are traceable and data is archived with its history. In-house Dynamo and Python tools help check data quickly and reduce errors on repetitive operations such as naming, parameters and schedules.

Language and communication

Working languages are English and French, in writing and in meetings. French specifications can be read directly, which avoids the translation loss that slows many offshore collaborations. Our leadership includes four senior engineers trained in France, and a representative in Paris is available to meet you in person.

A short checklist before you start

  • Is there a BIM execution plan, or a one-page equivalent?
  • Who is the BIM manager on each side?
  • Which formats are exchanged, how often, and on which platform?
  • How are comments raised and closed (BCF, issue log)?
  • What is delivered with the model: drawings, quantities, an issue log?

Answer these five questions and the software will look after itself.

To discuss a BIM package, write to contact@vifatec.com. We sign your NDA before receiving data.