Wisconsin to become first state to require BIM on all its large projects

As of July 1 the Wisconsin Division of State Facilities will require all projects with a total budget of $5 million or more and all new construction with a budget of $2.5 million to have their designs begin with a Building Information Model.

The new guidelines and standards require A/E services in a design-bid-construct project delivery format to use BIM and 3D software from initial planning concepts up to bidding documents and fianlly to project closeout. There are 5 projects over the $5 Million threshold up for A/E selection in the next few months, followed by 18 more expected between 2009 and 2011. The projects include new and existing construction for the Department of Military Affairs, Department of Administration, Department of Corrections, and the University of Wisconsin System.

Public comments on the BIM guidelines are now being taken on the new standards and guidelines at the DFS website.