Dane County Seeking Partnerships to Maximize Waste Diversion, Create Jobs at Sustainability Campus
January 21, 2025
execmedia@danecounty.gov, 608-800-1127
County Executive, Waste & Renewables
Madison, WI – January 21, 2025 – The Dane County Department of Waste & Renewables is inviting forward-thinking businesses, organizations, and innovators to partner in the development of its future Sustainable Campus, a 30-acre project set to drive the region toward a more sustainable, circular economy. Located on the southeast side of Madison, the campus will aim to serve as a hub for reuse, recycling, and waste management activities, alongside research and educational initiatives.
Through a Request for Information (RFI) process, the County is seeking partners whose ideas, technologies, and operations can advance sustainability, educate the public, create jobs, and reduce waste, while generating marketable products such as raw materials, recycled products, and energy. RFIs are designed to evaluate interest, gather ideas, and assess feasibility while minimizing the burden on both respondents and the County. Responses to RFIs will be used to identify the most promising approaches, and inform future Requests for Proposals (RFP). Entities selected through the process are anticipated to begin operations at the Campus in 2027 or 2028.
“The Sustainability Campus will be a game-changer for Dane County,” said Dane County Executive Melissa Agard. “We’re positioning ourselves as a leader in sustainability, while also creating local jobs, fostering innovation, and setting the stage for a greener future. This is a unique opportunity for companies to be part of something transformative.” Development of the Sustainability Campus builds on the County’s proven success with large-scale green infrastructure projects and public-private partnerships, representing a major step toward achieving waste and emissions-related goals set forth in the Dane County Climate Action Plan and City of Madison Sustainability Plan.
The Campus will be co-located with the new Dane County landfill, south of the nearing-capacity Rodefeld Landfill and US Highway 12/18. The first phase of construction will begin in Spring 2026, with Madison-based Strang, Inc. and Foth Engineering handling the design of key infrastructure, including an administration and education building, scale house, and maintenance facility. Expansion of the Campus will proceed based on the needs of successful proposals.
How to Access and Respond to RFIs:
The County is requesting responses in four key categories:
- Large-Scale Waste Diversion, Processing, and Recycling
- Problem Materials, Bulky Waste Streams, and Emerging Materials
- Reuse, Retail, and Upcycling
- Research, Education, and Creative Fields
RFIs open on January 21, 2025, and interested parties must submit their responses by March 21, 2025, through the County’s online procurement platform, OpenGov. The County will hold four virtual webinars between January 27-31 to provide guidance and answer questions about each RFI category and the overall process. An optional site visit to the Dane County Landfill is also scheduled for February 11, 2025, at 12:00 PM CST, offering prospective partners a firsthand look at the site.
For more information, and to access OpenGov, please visit the Dane County Department of Waste & Renewables website.