Marriott International operates more than 9,000 properties across 141 countries and generates over $23 billion in annual revenue. That scale creates real purchasing volume across hundreds of categories. Marriott has publicly committed to supplier diversity since the 1990s, and today the program sits inside the company's broader ESG framework under the "Serve 360" platform.
This guide covers exactly what you need to do to get registered, what Marriott buys from diverse suppliers, and how to position for an actual purchase order rather than just a portal listing.
Marriott's supplier diversity program
Marriott's supplier diversity effort is called the Supplier Diversity Program, managed out of Global Procurement in Bethesda, Maryland. Marriott is a member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), which means certified MBEs and WBEs are recognized through those networks.
The program tracks and publicly reports diverse spend annually. In recent reports, Marriott has cited hundreds of millions in diverse supplier spend, with stated goals of expanding that figure year over year. Marriott's Serve 360 commitments include increasing diverse supplier spend as a percentage of total procurement spend through 2025 and beyond.
One practical detail: Marriott operates under a managed procurement model. Most purchasing decisions flow through Global Procurement for enterprise contracts, but individual properties and regional offices also have discretionary spend for local suppliers. Both pathways exist and both are worth pursuing.
Certifications Marriott recognizes
Marriott accepts certifications from the major third-party certifying bodies. You do not need all of them, but you need at least one from a recognized source.
Accepted certifications: - MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) — certified by an NMSDC affiliate council - WBE (Women's Business Enterprise) — certified by a WBENC regional partner organization - SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business) — certified through the VA's VetCert program or SBA - WOSB/EDWOSB (Women-Owned Small Business) — federal SBA certification - LGBTBE (LGBT Business Enterprise) — certified by NGLCC - DOBE (Disability-Owned Business Enterprise) — certified by Disability:IN - SBE (Small Business Enterprise) — some regions accept state or local SBE certifications
NMSDC and WBENC certifications carry the most weight given Marriott's membership in both organizations. If you are MBE-eligible, prioritize your regional NMSDC council first.
Certification must be current at the time of registration. Expired certifications will not qualify your business.
How to register: the supplier portal
Marriott uses Coupa Supplier Portal to manage its supplier base. The entry point for diverse suppliers is through the Supplier Diversity section of Marriott's corporate website, under Global Procurement.
Registration steps:
- Go to marriott.com and navigate to: About Marriott → Global Impact → Supplier Diversity → Register as a Supplier.
- You will be directed to create a Coupa Supplier Portal account or log in if you already have one.
- Complete your company profile: legal business name, DUNS or SAM UEI number, NAICS codes, product/service categories, certification details, and certifying body name with expiration date.
- Upload your certification certificate as a PDF.
- Submit the profile for review.
Marriott's procurement team reviews submissions on a rolling basis. Initial review takes two to four weeks. If your profile matches an active or anticipated need, a category manager may reach out. If it does not, your profile stays in the system for future sourcing events.
One thing to know before you start: Coupa requires a detailed capability profile, not just basic contact information. Spend time on the product and service category fields. Be specific. "Food service equipment" is better than "restaurant supplies." Exact NAICS codes matter for automated matching.
Categories Marriott sources from diverse suppliers
Marriott's sourcing spans both hotel-level operations and corporate functions. The categories most actively sourced from diverse suppliers include:
Food and beverage: Local and regional food purveyors, specialty ingredient suppliers, beverage distributors, and food service equipment. On-property restaurants and catering operations often have flexibility to source locally, which creates an entry point at the property level before you pursue a national contract.
Amenities and housekeeping: Bath products, linens, uniforms, cleaning supplies, and guest room supplies. This is a high-volume, repeat-purchase category.
Facilities and construction: Renovation contractors, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, landscaping, and general contracting for property improvements. Marriott properties undergo continuous renovation cycles.
Information technology: Software vendors, IT services, managed services providers, hardware suppliers, and cybersecurity firms. Corporate IT procurement runs through Bethesda; property-level IT decisions vary.
Marketing and creative services: Advertising agencies, photography, video production, print vendors, promotional products, and event production.
Professional services: Legal, consulting, accounting, staffing, and training vendors.
Logistics and transportation: Last-mile delivery, freight, and fleet services.
If you serve more than one category, list all of them in Coupa. Sourcing events are often category-specific, so narrow profiles miss opportunities.
Industry events and getting in front of buyers
Registration alone rarely produces a contract. Relationship development before a sourcing event gives your company a real advantage.
NMSDC National Conference: Held each fall (typically October or November), this is the largest MBE networking event in the country. Marriott sends procurement staff. If you hold an NMSDC MBE certification, attending at least one national conference before pursuing Marriott seriously is worth the investment. The matchmaking sessions are structured and time-limited — prepare a 60-second pitch, bring a one-page capability sheet, and follow up within 48 hours.
WBENC National Conference & Business Fair: Held each June. Similar structure to NMSDC's national event. Marriott participates regularly.
WBENC Summit & Salute: A smaller, relationship-focused event in the spring. Better for follow-up conversations than first introductions.
Disability:IN Annual Conference: Held in July. Marriott has publicly engaged with Disability:IN's supplier diversity initiatives.
Local NMSDC council events: Regional councils host matchmaking events throughout the year. These are lower cost than national conferences and often include direct access to regional procurement contacts.
Outside the conference circuit, Marriott's Global Procurement team occasionally hosts supplier diversity-specific webinars and informational sessions. Monitor Marriott's LinkedIn corporate page and the Serve 360 microsite for announcements.
Getting a meeting outside of a formal event is harder but not impossible. If you have a warm introduction through an NMSDC council program manager or a Marriott employee contact, that path is faster than cold outreach through procurement email addresses.
Realistic timeline and first steps
Here is what a realistic first 12 months looks like for most diverse suppliers pursuing Marriott.
Month 1–2: Get certified (or verify your current certification is active and not expiring within six months). Register on Coupa with a complete profile. Do not rush the profile — incomplete submissions get deprioritized.
Month 3–4: Identify your best-fit category and determine whether your target is a corporate-level contract or a property-level relationship. These require different approaches. Corporate contracts require going through Global Procurement. Property-level relationships can start with a conversation with the property's Director of Purchasing or General Manager.
Month 5–6: Attend one regional NMSDC or WBENC event. Introduce yourself to a council program manager and ask whether they have an active relationship with Marriott's procurement team.
Month 7–9: If targeting a specific Marriott property, request an introductory meeting with the property's purchasing contact. Bring a capability statement with your pricing, lead times, minimum order quantities, and references.
Month 10–12: Follow up on your Coupa profile status. If you have not heard anything, contact Marriott's Supplier Diversity team directly through the contact form on the Serve 360 page. Ask whether your profile has been reviewed and whether any upcoming sourcing events match your category.
Most suppliers who land their first Marriott purchase order started at the property level, not the corporate level. A single-property relationship gives you a reference, volume history, and an internal champion. That makes the corporate conversation materially easier.
What increases your odds
A few things separate suppliers who get to contract from those who sit in the portal indefinitely.
Be certification-ready before you register. An expired or in-process certification will stall everything. Marriott's team will not move forward without valid documentation.
Know your NAICS codes. Marriott's Coupa implementation uses NAICS matching to route supplier profiles to the right category managers. If you do not know which codes apply to your business, look them up at census.gov before you start the registration.
Have a capability statement ready. One page, no more. Include your certification status, years in business, annual revenue, key clients (especially hospitality clients if you have them), and your core service or product description.
Follow up. Procurement teams at companies the size of Marriott manage hundreds of supplier relationships. A polite follow-up email three to four weeks after registration is appropriate and expected.
