Skanska USA is one of the largest construction and civil engineering contractors in the country, generating roughly $8 billion in annual revenue. The parent company is Swedish-based Skanska AB, but Skanska's US operations run independently and handle major infrastructure, commercial, and industrial projects across the country. Airports, hospitals, highways, data centers, transit systems — these are the kinds of projects Skanska wins, and those projects require deep supply chains.
If your business is in construction, engineering, or a related trade, Skanska is worth pursuing. The company has a documented commitment to supplier diversity through its participation in NMSDC, WBENC, and NaVOBA. That participation translates to real sourcing opportunities for certified diverse businesses.
What Skanska USA buys from outside suppliers
Skanska self-performs some work, but it subcontracts heavily. On a typical large project, the company relies on hundreds of subcontractors and suppliers.
Categories where diverse and small businesses get work include:
Construction trades: Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, concrete, masonry, steel fabrication and erection, carpentry, roofing, glazing, and specialty subcontracting.
Civil and infrastructure: Earthwork, excavation, utility installation, paving, erosion control, and site preparation.
Professional services: Surveying, testing and inspection, environmental services, engineering consulting, and safety training.
Materials and equipment: Specialty materials, temporary structures, scaffolding, and equipment rental.
Support services: Logistics, waste management, temporary staffing for skilled trades, and site security.
Projects vary by region. Skanska has major operations in New York, Boston, Atlanta, Houston, Seattle, and other metro markets. The work available to subcontractors depends heavily on which projects are active in your geography.
How to register as a supplier
Skanska uses a supplier registration system to build its subcontractor and supplier database. The portal is managed through their supplier diversity and procurement operations.
To find the registration entry point, search "Skanska USA supplier registration" or navigate to their corporate website (skanska.com/en-us) and look for the Supplier Diversity or Procurement section. The portal may also be called the Skanska Supplier Diversity portal.
When you register, expect to provide:
- Legal business name, EIN, and DUNS/UEI number
- Business address and contact information
- NAICS codes covering your primary services
- Business type (MBE, WBE, VOSB, SDVOSB, SBE, or other classifications)
- Certification documentation, including the certifying body and certificate number
- Trade capabilities and project experience
- Bonding capacity and insurance limits
- Geographic service area
Have your certificates and bonding letters ready before you start. Incomplete profiles get lower visibility in procurement searches.
Which certifications carry weight at Skanska
Skanska participates in three national certification programs: NMSDC, WBENC, and NaVOBA. Each covers a different supplier segment.
NMSDC (National Minority Supplier Development Council) certifies businesses at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by a minority individual — Asian, Black, Hispanic, or Native American. NMSDC certification is widely recognized across Fortune 500 procurement, and Skanska's construction projects often include supplier diversity goals tied to client contracts. If your client is a hospital system, university, or government agency that tracks MBE spend, NMSDC certification directly supports Skanska's ability to count your spend toward those goals.
WBENC (Women's Business Enterprise National Council) certifies women-owned businesses. WBENC certification is recognized by more than 900 major corporations, including Skanska. On commercial projects with owner-mandated diversity goals, WBE spend is frequently tracked separately. WBENC certification strengthens your position for those projects.
NaVOBA (National Veteran-Owned Business Association) certifies veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses in the private sector. NaVOBA fills the gap left by federal SDVOSB certification, which only applies to government contracts. If you are a veteran business owner targeting corporate clients like Skanska, NaVOBA certification signals your status in a format corporate procurement teams recognize.
Of the three, NMSDC and WBENC tend to get the most traction on Skanska's larger commercial and infrastructure projects because client diversity spend requirements most often specify MBE and WBE categories. NaVOBA is smaller by volume but still relevant, particularly for clients with veteran-supplier commitments.
State and local certifications (DBE, state MBE/WBE programs) also matter when Skanska works on publicly funded projects. If the project has a DBE goal set by a transportation agency, your DBE certification may be required, not just preferred.
How diverse certification status affects your chances
Certification alone does not get you a contract. But it does several things that improve your odds.
First, it puts you in a searchable database that Skanska procurement staff and project teams use when looking for subcontractors on projects with diversity goals. Without certification, your business may not surface in those searches at all.
Second, certification creates a shared language between you and the project team. When a project manager needs to hit a 20% MBE goal set by the project owner, a certified MBE subcontractor is a direct, documentable solution. An uncertified diverse business does not count toward that goal.
Third, Skanska uses supplier diversity metrics in its corporate sustainability and ESG reporting. Certified spend is what gets counted. Your participation has downstream value for Skanska's own reporting, which gives procurement staff a concrete reason to prefer certified suppliers when qualifications are otherwise comparable.
Tips for getting your first contract
Register on the correct portal with complete information. A profile with no NAICS codes, no bonding capacity listed, and no project history will not get calls. Fill out every field.
Target active projects in your region. Skanska posts project-specific opportunities and sometimes holds pre-bid events for subcontractors. Watch their website for active bids. Many construction subcontracts are won through project-level outreach, not through the central supplier database.
Attend NMSDC and WBENC events where Skanska participates. Both councils host regional conferences, matchmaking events, and procurement summits. Skanska procurement and supplier diversity staff attend these events specifically to meet certified suppliers. An in-person conversation at an NMSDC regional event can open doors that a cold registration never will.
Get bonded and make sure your insurance limits are appropriate. Skanska subcontracts often require general liability coverage of $1M to $5M per occurrence and workers' compensation. If your current coverage is too low, you will be excluded from bidding regardless of certification status.
Ask for feedback when you are not selected. Skanska's supplier diversity team will sometimes explain why a business was passed over. That feedback is useful for fixing gaps in your capabilities or compliance posture before the next opportunity.
Who handles supplier diversity at Skanska USA
Skanska USA has dedicated supplier diversity personnel at both the corporate and regional levels. The corporate function is typically led by a Director or Vice President of Supplier Diversity, sitting within the procurement or operations organization. At the project level, project managers and subcontract administrators handle day-to-day subcontractor selection and management.
For direct supplier diversity inquiries, look for contact information on Skanska's supplier diversity page or reach out through the NMSDC and WBENC councils, which maintain contact directories for member corporations.
Supplier development programs and events
Skanska participates in council-sponsored events throughout the year. Their involvement with NMSDC and WBENC means you are likely to encounter their procurement team at regional affiliate matchmaking events, national conferences, and supplier forums.
Skanska also engages in project-specific outreach on major infrastructure jobs, particularly on publicly funded projects with mandated small and diverse business participation goals. These outreach events are typically announced through the project owner (a transit authority, airport authority, or city agency) and are worth attending even if Skanska is not the one hosting.
If you are pursuing Skanska, the combination of a complete supplier registration, a relevant national certification, and face-to-face contact at a council event gives you the best starting position.
