Request for Proposal - CalfWays: Greenfield Cooperative calf-rearing facility feasibility and business case

Overview Gardiner Foundation and the CalfWays collaboration (Dairy Australia and Meat & Livestock Australia Limited) are seeking an experienced consultant to undertake an independent feasibility study and business case for a greenfield cooperative calf-rearing facility, operating on a hub-and-spoke model, to determine whether the concept represents a viable, scalable and investable opportunity. About The Australian dairy and beef industries face ongoing challenges in creating economically viable and scalable pathways for non-replacement dairy calves. Many dairy producers, particularly smaller and land-constrained businesses, are unable to achieve the scale, infrastructure, labour capacity, or consistency required to rear calves to meet the needs of downstream beef supply chains. This can result in fragmented calf-rearing systems, inconsistent animal quality, limited market certainty, duplicated infrastructure investment, and reduced value capture across the supply chain. Through previous CalfWays initiatives, industry stakeholders identified a potential opportunity to improve supply chain coordination through a cooperative, hub-and-spoke calf-rearing model. A regional calf-rearing facility could aggregate calves from multiple farms, apply consistent welfare, biosecurity and production standards, provide access to specialised calf-rearing expertise, and deliver a more reliable supply of fit-for-purpose cattle to the beef sector. Purpose Significant uncertainty remains regarding the technical feasibility, commercial viability, financial sustainability, governance arrangements, workforce requirements, and investment readiness of a greenfield cooperative calf-rearing facility in the Australian context. This procurement is intended to resolve that uncertainty by commissioning an independent feasibility study and business case capable of supporting long-term industry growth and stronger beef-from-dairy supply chains. Scope The scope includes: Undertaking an independent feasibility study for a greenfield cooperative, hub-and-spoke calf-rearing facility Assessing technical feasibility of the proposed facility Assessing commercial viability of the proposed facility Assessing financial sustainability of the proposed facility Assessing governance arrangements for the proposed facility Assessing workforce requirements for the proposed facility Assessing investment readiness of the proposed facility Developing a business case setting out whether the model is viable, scalable and investable Instructions to Tenderers Further information is available for this opportunity: Request for proposal specifications Detailed services agreement template Table of Departures Submissions should be sent to Bec Barnewall (Dairy Australia, CalfWays Co-Innovation Lead), M: 0447 817 123, Email: calfways@dairyaustralia.com.au. Deadline: 5pm, Thursday 16 October 2026. Enquiries Bec Barnewall, CalfWays Co-Innovation Lead, Dairy Australia: M: 0447 817 123, Email: calfways@dairyaustralia.com.au Sharon Dundon, Project Manager – Animal Wellbeing & Biosecurity, MLA: M: 0427 255 335, Email: sdundon@mla.com.au