Request for Information | Research, Education, and Art at the Dane County Sustainability Campus

Be part of an exciting new opportunity to reshape waste into a resource and advance the circular economy in a growing and dynamic area in the Midwest with an experienced partner!

The Dane County, Wisconsin, Department of Waste & Renewables is soliciting responses to this Request for Information (RFI) to gather information and qualifications from entities (Respondents) that are interested in establishing operations within the Sustainable Business Park to be co-located with the future Dane County landfill in Madison, Wisconsin. This project is underway with the first phase of construction commencing in 2026 for a new landfill and a new administration and education building (conceptual administration and education building location below). Landfill and related support facilities will be operational in 2027/2028.

The purpose of this RFI is to identify entities, processes, and technologies that have the greatest potential to help the County divert a significant share of incoming waste and create marketable outputs such as energy, raw materials, or other products. 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 (RFPs).

Dane County is issuing a total of four RFIs concurrently:

• Partners in Research, Education, and Creative Fields (2025-RFI-004)
• Partners in Problem Materials, Bulky Waste Streams, and Emerging Materials (2025-RFI-003)
• Partners in Reuse, Retail, and Upcycling (2025-RFI-002)
• Partners in Large-Scale Waste Diversion, Processing, and Recycling (2025-RFI-002)

This RFI is not a solicitation for bids, nor is it an indication of intent to contract.

The contacts listed are the sole points of contact for questions and issues that may arise during the RFI process.

The County is prioritizing the establishment of a circular economy innovation hub designed to foster collaboration among various entities dedicated to sustainability efforts and to provide educational opportunities for the public. This initiative seeks to bring together organizations focused on waste diversion, sustainable practices, and innovative solutions. Suitable activities, expanded below, may include advocacy and education groups, creative reuse and upcycling initiatives, maker spaces, and research and development efforts related to waste diversion. These activities may include full-time presence on the Sustainability Campus, sourcing materials from the waste stream for use elsewhere, hosting occasional events on site, or any other relationship that aligns with the guiding principles of the project.

• Research and development of new technologies and methods to divert waste that could leverage the proximity to the solid waste volumes available at the proposed new landfill. This may include non-profits, foundations, universities and institutions of higher learning, or early-stage private sector businesses.
• Artists and related entities that could collaborate within maker spaces to create new products or creative applications of repurposed or diverted materials.
• Educational or advocacy groups that aim to inform and educate the public and businesses on sustainable waste practices, new technologies, innovative approaches to waste diversion, or opportunities to further the circular economy. This could also include entities interested in partnering with Dane County to advance waste diversion and/or education through donations of technology or equipment.

Why Respond ? What Does This Site And The County Have To Offer?

• The County values education and outreach. This includes employing staff dedicated to community outreach, and hosting more than 100 events annually. In 2024, the County engaged more than 6,800 residents through TrashLab events and tours of the Department's facilities.
• The County invests in waste management research and innovative technologies, including supporting research activities and developing a first-of-its-kind biogas offload station to connect Wisconsin dairy farmers to renewable energy markets.
• The County is breaking ground on the new site within the next 12 months and early tenants may have influence over the development of the site to meet space, facility, and traffic needs.
• The County has a proven record of successful public-private partnerships to divert waste, including a large-scale construction & demolition waste recycling facility, and food/organic waste composting.
• The Department operates as an "enterprise fund" which means that all operations are funded by the fees charged for services provided and not by taxpayer dollars. In addition, excess revenue from the sale of RNG helps fund other County initiatives. This integrated and innovative approach to operations ensures an affordable, long-term waste management system for Dane County.
  • This enables W&R to take on large-scale capital development projects, such as the construction of a renewable natural gas plant ($29 million) and C&D recycling facility ($15 million).
• Potential opportunities may include the County investing in or supplying land, buildings, equipment, staff, auxiliary facilities, or capital and/or operating costs.
• The Sustainable Business Park consists of approximately 30 developable acres located centrally within the County and within the City of Madison, the County’s largest single source of waste.
• The site is shovel-ready and consists of generally flat land served by municipal water and sanitary sewer with electrical utilities in place. Major upgrades to the storm water management infrastructure have also recently occurred.
• Dane County has an existing interstate natural gas pipeline connection and offload facility at its existing landfill located directly across US Highway 12 & 18 from the Sustainable Business Park. The interconnect allows other biogas producers in the area to access renewable energy markets.
• The site is located directly off of US Highway 12 & 18 and close to Interstates 90 and 94. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation recently completed an interchange improvement project adjacent to the site, making accessibility even more convenient.
• The Sustainability Campus is zoned Industrial-General District within the City of Madison.
• The County envisions constructing a waste drop-off site at the Sustainability Campus, which could result in sorted goods available for tenant use.
• Per the County’s Development Agreement with the City of Madison, projects “will be eligible to apply for financial assistance from the City, if the project meets program guidelines and policies at the time of application.”

What’s Next?

The County intends to issue one or more formal Requests for Proposal in late 2025 leveraging information gathered through this RFI process to target the most promising respondents, processes, and technologies. Shortly thereafter, the County will select one or more successful respondent(s) to negotiate a specific diversion project(s) with the estimated goal of beginning construction in 2027 and starting initial operations by 2028.