What MSW Consultants does

MSW Consultants is a privately-held management consulting firm based in Orlando, Florida, specializing exclusively in the U.S. solid waste and recycling industry. Founded by Walt Davenport (1951–2025) and now led by Principal John Culbertson, the firm serves federal and state government agencies, municipalities, regional authorities, trade associations, universities, and private-sector waste generators with a portfolio spanning Solid Waste Management Plans, collection optimization, cost-of-service and rate studies, procurement assistance, waste audits, recycling container monitoring programs, and material stream characterization studies. The firm reports 500+ project references across its history and operates nationally, with active engagements documented across the Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, Western, and Mid-Atlantic regions, plus a Guam assignment.

The firm's core technology asset is WasteInsight™, a proprietary web-based database containing demographic data for all 3,000 U.S. counties and 25,000 municipalities, with solid waste program and contract data covering 1,500+ of the most populous communities. An extension, the WasteInsight GAP System, delivers handheld-app-based cart monitoring with real-time, cloud-based reporting by neighborhood and route for recycling contamination programs. Underlying delivery is built on proprietary statistically representative sampling methodologies and field data collection teams independently safety-certified through ISNetworld for work at landfills, waste-to-energy plants, transfer stations, and MRFs.

MSW Consultants operates a project-based professional services revenue model, with fees scoped per engagement and secured through government competitive procurement (RFP/RFQ), direct business development with private clients, and subcontractor relationships with peer firms such as Cascadia Consulting and Willdan Financial Services. The firm pursues a relationship-driven go-to-market supported by membership in SWANA, NRC, and state recycling associations, participation in events such as the Waste Leadership Summit 2026, and thought leadership via project case studies. The company is privately held under founder/management control with no evidence of institutional investors or parent company affiliation.

Name

MSW Consultants

Legal name

MSW Consultants LLC

Website

https://mswconsultants.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MSW Consultants is an Orlando-based management consulting firm exclusively focused on the U.S. waste and recycling industry, providing planning, financial, procurement, and waste characterization services to government agencies, municipalities, universities, and private sector waste generators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting fees for waste management advisory services including waste characterization studies, solid waste management planning, collection optimization, cost/rate studies, and procurement assistance. Engagements are project-based with custom scopes for government and private sector clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MSW Consultants is a management consulting firm that delivers data-driven planning, financial modeling, operational analysis, and procurement support services exclusively to the waste and recycling industry. Core offerings include solid waste management plans, collection optimization, cost-of-service and rate studies, procurement assistance, waste audits, recycling container monitoring programs, and material stream characterization studies, supported by the proprietary WasteInsight™ database and GAP System.

Product overview

MSW Consultants is a management consulting firm specializing in the waste and recycling industry, providing data-driven solutions to optimize recycling, diversion, and waste management programs. The company offers a portfolio of consulting services including Solid Waste Management Plans (SWMPs)/Zero Waste Plans, Collection Optimization, Cost/Rate Studies, Procurement Services, Waste Audits, Recycling Container Monitoring Program, Material Stream Characterization, Litter Research, and Market Analysis. The firm's proprietary technology platform is WasteInsight™, a web-based database containing demographic and solid waste program data for U.S. counties and municipalities. WasteInsight™ includes the GAP System for program evaluation. Services are provided to federal government entities, state agencies, municipalities, trade associations, NGOs, and private sector waste generators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WasteInsight™ Database Web-based platform housing demographic data for all 3,000 counties and 25,000 incorporated municipalities in the U.S., and solid waste program and contract data for over 1,500 communities plus thousands of smaller communities; used for market research and disposal market analysis.
• WasteInsight™ GAP System Component of the WasteInsight™ platform focused on GAP (Goals, Assessment, Planning) functionality for waste management program evaluation.
• Solid Waste Management Plans (SWMPs) / Zero Waste Plans Planning services for local governments to address disposal capacity, recycling and diversion goals, and program funding.
• Collection Optimization Analysis and planning services for waste, recyclables, and organics collection programs including cost projection, resource needs assessment, diversion rates, and carbon footprint analysis.
• Cost / Rate Studies Financial management services including solid waste system cost-of-service studies, PAYT (Pay-As-You-Throw) rate studies, lifecycle cost analysis, and environmental benefits calculators.
• Procurement Services Assistance with establishing industry-appropriate technical specifications and intelligent procurement of collection, transportation, recycling, composting, and disposal services for government and private clients.
• Waste Audits Waste and recycling program audits including waste stream composition analysis, capture rate analysis, commercial container service analysis, and green building certification support.
• Recycling Container Monitoring Program Technology-driven recycling container monitoring and cart tagging programs for cities, counties, and solid waste authorities using handheld apps with real-time, cloud-based reporting.
• Material Stream Characterization Waste characterization services including statistically representative sampling plans, field data collection programs, and material stream composition analysis.
• Visible Litter Surveys and Litter Policy Research Visible litter surveys and litter policy research services for communities and state agencies to quantify and address litter.
• Market Analysis and Feasibility Studies Business and institutional market analysis and feasibility studies for waste, recycling, and organics infrastructure investments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Liberty County transformed from annual deficit of over $600,000 to net annual surplus following MSW consulting engagement
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• The Recycling PartnershipminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Recycling Partnership provided grant funding to support municipal recycling cart monitoring programs. MSW Consultants has been engaged by municipalities (e.g., Orange County, City of Philadelphia) to implement programs funded through The Recycling Partnership grants.
• Willdan Financial ServicesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMSW Consultants subcontracted to Willdan Financial Services to complete utility rate study for City of Safford sanitation and landfill operations, demonstrating collaborative project delivery with complementary consulting firms.
• Cascadia ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMSW Consultants was retained as subcontractor to Cascadia Consulting for Utah Department of Environmental Quality statewide waste characterization study.
• Professional Recyclers of PennsylvaniaminorOthersProfessional association membership displayed in client logos section indicating industry recognition and networking relationship.
• Missouri Recycling AssociationminorOthersState recycling association membership displayed in client logos section indicating industry involvement.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cascadia Consulting Group: Solid waste and recycling consulting firm that competes directly with MSW Consultants on state and local waste characterization studies; MSW has acted as subcontractor to Cascadia on Utah statewide study, confirming direct competitive overlap.
• RRS (Resource Recycling Systems): Michigan-based sustainability and recycling consulting firm serving state agencies, municipalities, and trade associations on solid waste management plans, waste characterization, and recycling program design — directly comparable in service offerings and client base.
• Gershman, Brickner & Bratton (GBB): Solid waste management consulting firm specializing in rate studies, procurement, and operational optimization for municipalities and authorities — overlapping directly with MSW's cost/rate study and procurement service lines.
• SCS Engineers: Environmental engineering and solid waste consulting firm offering waste characterization, landfill engineering, and recycling facility design — comparable in waste domain expertise but with broader engineering capabilities than MSW.

Broad incumbents

• Burns & McDonnell: Large engineering firm with a solid waste practice covering collection, transfer, disposal, and recycling consulting; competes with MSW on municipal procurement and rate studies but operates at much larger scale across multiple industries.
• HDR Inc. Major engineering and consulting firm with solid waste and environmental services capabilities that overlap with MSW's municipal consulting practice, but serves a much broader range of infrastructure markets.
• Brown and Caldwell: Environmental engineering and consulting firm with solid waste and recycling program expertise serving municipalities — overlaps with MSW on collection optimization and rate studies as part of a broader environmental services portfolio.
• Arcadis: Global design and consultancy firm with a solid waste and resource management practice that competes with MSW for state-level characterization and recycling optimization engagements at scale.

Emerging players

• The Recycling Partnership: Non-profit organization that funds municipal recycling programs and has partnered with MSW Consultants on grant-funded cart monitoring engagements; not a direct competitor but a key ecosystem partner and potential funding channel.
• Skumatz Economic Research Associates (SERA): Independent solid waste economics and rate consulting firm specializing in PAYT rate design and cost-of-service studies — a comparable niche consulting peer to MSW in the rate study and financial analysis segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mswconsultants
• Facebookfacebook.com/mswconsultant
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/msw-consultants-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/mswconsultants

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MSW Consultants