From their site:
The Technology Strategy Board is to invest up to £1.5m to support the
development of a free-to-use digital tool that can exploit the standards
being made publicly available for building information modelling (BIM).
As a process, BIM involves the sharing of three-dimensional data by all
those responsible for the design, construction and operation of
buildings and infrastructure in the built environment.
This competition will bring together the construction, digital and high- powered computing communities.
A free-to-use tool has the potential to transform the procurement
of buildings and infrastructure, and not just in home markets. It will
place the UK in a global leadership position and provide overseas
growth opportunities.
SBRI competitions are open to all organisations that can demonstrate a route to market for their solution.
In phase 1, up to £50k is available for feasibility studies of
up to six weeks. In phase 2, a single participant from phase 1 may
receive up to £1m for a six-month project of further development. In
both phases, successful applicants will receive development contracts funded at 100%.
We will award development contracts to a single organisation. We are
encouraging applicants to collaborate with other organisations, on a
sub-contractor basis, to enhance their solution. It is the responsibility of the main contractor to manage sub-contractors.
The competition opens on 10 February 2014. The deadline for registration is at noon on 12 March 2014 and the deadline for applications is at noon on 19 March 2014.