This video explains the ISO 19650 assessment and need stage and the invitation to tender process. The written guide below covers the appointing party’s key responsibilities during these early stages, how OIR, PIR, AIR, and EIR fit together to define what information is needed, and how structured checklists and templates make it easier to start projects on the right foot with clear requirements and better tender documentation.

Why getting the early stages right determines project success

Most project problems can be traced back to the very beginning. When teams do not start with clear, structured information requirements, the consequences ripple through every stage that follows. Miscommunication about scope leads to rework. Unclear deliverables lead to poor tender responses. Missing requirements lead to budget overruns when teams have to backtrack and fix things that should have been defined upfront. ISO 19650 addresses this directly by providing a structured framework for the assessment and need stage and the invitation to tender process, ensuring that the appointing party asks the right questions and defines the right requirements before any work begins.

The assessment and need stage is where the appointing party, typically the client or asset owner, establishes what information they need to support their decision-making throughout the project and across the lifecycle of the built asset. This starts with the Organizational Information Requirements (OIR), which define the high-level information needed for strategic decisions, and then narrows down through the Project Information Requirements (PIR), which specify what is needed at different stages of the project, and the Asset Information Requirements (AIR), which define the data needed to manage and operate the asset over its full lifecycle. All of these feed into the Exchange Information Requirements (EIR), which specify exactly what information needs to be exchanged between parties during the project, including when, how, and to what standard.

During these early stages, the appointing party has a series of critical responsibilities. They need to appoint an information manager to oversee the process, establish project delivery milestones where specific information must be delivered, define the project information standard that governs how information is produced and named, set up a common data environment for centralised collaboration, and establish information protocols that define how data flows between parties. Once this groundwork is in place, the appointing party assembles the invitation to tender documentation, which includes the EIR, reference information, shared resources, tender response requirements, and evaluation criteria. This package ensures that every tenderer has the same clear picture of what is expected, leading to more accurate bids and fewer surprises during delivery.

The relationship between the four sets of information requirements is hierarchical and connected. The OIR drives the PIR, the PIR and AIR together shape the detailed EIR, and the AIR also specifies the requirements for the asset information model that will be handed over at project completion. Understanding this flow is essential because it means that every requirement in the EIR can be traced back to a genuine organisational or project need, rather than being an arbitrary demand. That traceability gives the requirements legitimacy and helps tendering parties understand not just what is being asked, but why it matters.

Key responsibilities during the assessment and need stage

1. Appoint an information manager – Assign someone to oversee the entire information management process and ensure compliance with ISO 19650 from the very start of the project.
2. Establish organisational information requirements (OIR) – Define the high-level information the organisation needs to support strategic decision-making across its portfolio of assets.
3. Define project information requirements (PIR) – Specify what information is needed at each stage of the project to meet operational and strategic goals.
4. Define asset information requirements (AIR) – Identify the data needed to manage and operate the asset throughout its lifecycle, including requirements for the asset information model.
5. Set project delivery milestones – Establish the key decision points where specific information must be delivered, providing a clear timeline for the entire project.
6. Establish information standards and production methods – Define how information will be produced, named, stored, and shared so that all parties follow the same approach.
7. Set up the common data environment – Create a centralised platform for managing and sharing all project information, supporting collaboration across all tendering and delivery parties.
8. Establish information protocols – Define the rules for how information flows across the project, including who creates, validates, and shares it, supported by formal protocol agreements.
9. Compile the exchange information requirements (EIR) – Bring together the OIR, PIR, and AIR into a clear set of exchange requirements that specify exactly what must be delivered by tendering parties.
10. Assemble and issue the invitation to tender – Package the EIR, reference information, shared resources, and evaluation criteria into a complete tender documentation set for prospective contractors and consultants.

What you’ll learn

• The assessment and need stage – Why defining information requirements before the project starts prevents miscommunication, delays, and budget overruns downstream.
• How OIR, PIR, AIR, and EIR connect – How the four levels of information requirements flow from organisational strategy through to specific exchange deliverables, creating a traceable chain from need to requirement.
• The appointing party’s responsibilities – What the client must do under ISO 19650 to establish the right foundation, from appointing an information manager to setting up the CDE and information protocols.
• Invitation to tender preparation – How structured tender documentation with clear EIRs and evaluation criteria leads to more accurate bids and better project outcomes.
• Checklists and templates – How built-in compliance checklists and ready-made templates make it easier to follow the ISO 19650 process without starting from scratch.

Common questions

Explore further

• ISO 19650 standards explained in one hour – A comprehensive overview of the full ISO 19650 standard and how each part connects.
• 5 reasons BIM checklists matter – Why structured checklists improve compliance, accountability, and team alignment on BIM projects.
• 10 tips for BIM protocol agreements – Practical guidance for creating information protocols that support clear expectations and traceable workflows.
• ISO 19650 assessment and need: invitation to tender – The expert course lesson covering this stage in full detail with practical walkthroughs.