How to avoid common RFP mistakes in scan-to-BIM projects
George Valdes
Mar 28, 2025
Are you making these common RFP mistakes?
Every construction professional dreads unplanned delays and ballooning costs. What if they could be avoided just by getting your RFP right from the start?
This article helps you sidestep one of the biggest blind spots in the industry: poorly defined requests for proposals (RFPs) for scan-to-BIM projects.
Anyone responsible for coordinating a building’s as-built documentation, pre-construction workflows, or renovation initiatives can gain new insights here.
If you rely on point clouds, building information modeling, or laser scanning, keep reading for a breakdown on how to build a rock-solid RFP that saves precious time, money, and sanity.
Introduction
A large number of design and construction projects begin with an inaccurate or underspecified RFP for scanning and BIM. If your project depends on existing conditions data, a vague RFP can doom your schedule.
Imagine discovering mid-project that no one accounted for critical site security protocols or that your model doesn’t align with real-world survey data. Without pinning down every necessary detail early, you risk re-scans, rework, and lost momentum.
This article provides a structured plan to write an RFP that eliminates guesswork. You will learn how to gather site-specific requirements, define accuracy specifications, and evaluate vendor proposals. The result is an RFP that attracts the best scan-to-BIM vendors, facilitating top-quality deliverables and reducing the risk of major budget blowouts.
The dangers of a weak RFP
A weak scan-to-BIM RFP fails to include key project information. That might include building access logistics, required accuracy thresholds, or a replicable method to align scanned data with the site’s real-world coordinates. This gap in clarity creates a vicious cycle of confusion:
Inconsistent Bids: Vendors guess at your needs, resulting in wildly different pricing. This leads you to compare apples and oranges.
Scope Drift: Missing details cause extra requests for information, pushing the entire process weeks or even months behind schedule.
Costly Rework: Inadequate or conflicting instructions can yield a model that doesn’t meet your intended use, triggering rescheduling and re-scanning.
A typical flashpoint is the rush to sign any proposal that appears to meet the budget. But if the scope is not well-defined, unscrupulous revisions may appear later. Owners, asset managers, and BIM coordinators end up paying the price, while the project sputters.
What should you include in a comprehensive RFP?
Crafting a solid RFP is less mysterious than it seems. Here are the must-have elements:
1. Project Background
Site Location and Address: Provide the building address, and be specific about which floors or areas need scanning.
Existing Materials: Share any known records, including floor plans, engineering drawings, or older point clouds.
Site Access Constraints: State if there is a security clearance, specialized scheduling window, or an onsite point of contact.
2. Scope of Work
Detailed Areas: Outline each space or floor to be scanned. Include approximate square footage for each.
Deliverable Format: Specify if you need Revit models, AutoCAD drawings, IFC files, or digital tours.
Level of Detail (LOD): Refer to recognized standards, such as LOD 300, to avoid confusion about the geometry required.
Level of Accuracy (LOA): Mention standards like “LOA 20” or “LOA 30” so potential responders can determine the bandwidth of data resolution.
3. Requirements for Survey Control
Coordinate System: Indicate whether you need the model tied to a local site datum or a recognized standard like NAVD88.
Number of Control Points: Expect at least four per floor in multi-story facilities to reduce the “drift” that can throw off critical alignments.
4. Timeline and Milestones
Submission Window: Provide a clear start and end date for RFP responses, ensuring enough time to gather clarifications.
Mobilization Schedule: Outline proposed scanning dates, factoring in potential site restrictions.
Model Delivery: Indicate your required turnaround time for the deliverables.
5. Evaluation Criteria
Experience & References: Seek proof of competence, especially for similar building types or comparable project scope.
Costs & Pricing Structure: Make sure to request breakdowns that detail labor, materials, mobilization, and any other relevant fees.
Technology & Equipment: Ask whether the vendor uses specific scanning hardware (e.g., terrestrial laser scanners, mobile scanners).
Quality Assurance Process: Demand insight into their approach for verifying data accuracy and alignment.
Why survey controls are non-negotiable
Omitting comprehensive survey controls is like building a skyscraper without a proper foundation. Controls ensure that the scanned data aligns consistently from floor to floor and room to room. They act as reference points that keep everything pinned to real-world coordinates.
Without controls, scanners may record floors in slightly misaligned conditions. Measured in thousandths of an inch, these mismatches accumulate until entire building systems no longer line up.
This is especially dangerous for large complexes or buildings with multiple levels. The extra time required to correct these discrepancies can spiral out of control if discovered late in the project.
The cost of establishing survey controls pales in comparison to the risk of a second site visit or the morale drain of losing confidence in your existing conditions data. Consider them an insurance policy against structural guesswork.
Minimizing rework and budget overruns
Rework is the silent profit killer in construction. It is often the direct result of missing scope details, inaccurate scanning, or poorly defined data requirements.
When scanning tasks must be repeated, you not only pay for the additional labor and travel but also delay subsequent project activities.
A well-written RFP reduces these surprises. When you specify an exact outline of responsibilities—from scanning certain corridors to verifying all mechanical rooms—you give potential vendors the chance to plan thoroughly.
This clarity ensures that:
Quantities Are Correct: Square footage is precise, enabling correct staffing and pricing.
Data Exchange Is Standardized: Everyone knows the file types and naming conventions, avoiding confusion when delivering Revit or CAD files.
Assigning Risk Is Clear: In a fully transparent contract, you can see exactly who is responsible if data accuracy does not align with expectations.
Evaluating vendors the right way
Even if you design the perfect RFP, choosing the right vendor is critical. Cost alone does not tell the full story. Instead, consider developing a numeric rating system for shortlisting candidates.
Assign a weight to each criterion, such as 25% for cost, 25% for data quality, 25% for timeline, and 25% for expertise. Here’s how to put it into practice:
List Your Criteria: Familiar metrics include cost, scanning hardware, project size capability, and references.
Weight Each Criterion: If you have strict deadlines, timeline might carry a higher weight than cost.
Score Each Vendor: Use a simple 1–10 scoring system, then multiply by the weights and sum up for a final score.
Compare Side-by-Side: Great for ensuring transparency in awarding the contract to the best fit.
This approach helps you avoid awarding the project only to the lowest number, which might be very tempting.
Sometimes, that bargain price conceals subpar technology or meager project management capacity.
Crafting a reliable path forward
If the thought of building a thorough scan-to-BIM RFP from scratch feels daunting, rest assured the effort pays off in spades.
Think of it as front-loading the details to escape chaos later. Gather the following as you work:
Pre-existing Drawings
Accurate Square Footage
Survey or Civil Drawings
Site Logistics Plan (security guidelines, restricted areas, unique building hazards)
Pairing a strong RFP with a robust vendor evaluation plan will not only increase your confidence but also boost everyone’s commitment to success.
Subcontractors who see a complete, clearly outlined scope will jump on the opportunity rather than shy away.
Conclusion
A poorly structured scan-to-BIM RFP is a red flag for rework, schedule snags, and spiraling costs. By articulating your objectives up front—listing out the building areas, accuracy needs, timeline concerns, and vendor qualifications—you will command more consistent proposals.
Don’t gamble your project on loosely defined expectations. Instead, treat your RFP like a blueprint for success. Define the stakes, outline the deliverables, and enforce the data quality needed to keep your building’s reality aligned with your digital model.
In an industry where delays can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, a rock-solid RFP for scanning and modeling is your greatest ally.
Remember: a few hours of precision planning can save you months of expensive do-overs.
Now is the time to invest in clarity—so you can move forward with a handle on the real conditions, the right budget, and the best path to bring your vision to life.