Valero Energy is the largest independent petroleum refiner in the United States. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with $178 billion-plus in annual revenue and 15 refineries across the country, Valero spends heavily on outside contractors. Construction, turnaround maintenance, logistics, and professional services represent the bulk of that spend. If your business holds a recognized diversity certification, Valero is worth pursuing.
This guide covers what their program looks like, which certifications they accept, how to register, what they buy, and how to put yourself in front of the right people.
Valero's supplier diversity program
Valero has operated a formal supplier diversity program for over two decades. The program sits inside their corporate procurement function and is tracked at the executive level. Their stated goal is to continuously increase spend with minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and small businesses.
They publish annual supplier diversity spend data. In recent years Valero has reported over $1 billion annually spent with diverse suppliers, a number that covers direct procurement as well as spend through their prime contractors. That second category matters: even if you are not selling directly to Valero, being listed as a diverse subcontractor with one of their approved primes can generate steady work.
Valero is a member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and participates in regional affiliate programs, particularly the Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council (SMSDC) given the concentration of their refining assets in Texas and Louisiana.
Certifications Valero recognizes
Valero accepts the following diversity certifications:
- MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) — issued by NMSDC affiliates, including SMSDC
- WBE (Women's Business Enterprise) — issued by WBENC affiliates
- SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business) — federal certification via SBA
- VOSB (Veteran-Owned Small Business) — federal certification via SBA
- HUBZone — SBA-administered, relevant for businesses in historically underutilized zones
- SBE/DBE — Small Business Enterprise and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, primarily relevant for state-funded projects
- 8(a) — SBA 8(a) Business Development program
The certifications with the most weight in Valero's procurement process are MBE and WBE. If you have neither yet, prioritize your NMSDC regional affiliate certification because Valero actively participates in NMSDC events and reporting.
If your business is veteran-owned, the SDVOSB certification adds material credibility. Valero operates in states with strong veteran hiring cultures, and their procurement team knows how to report diverse spend by category to corporate leadership.
How to register as a Valero supplier
Valero uses Ariba Supplier Network for supplier registration and sourcing events. This is the single most important step.
Here is the registration sequence:
- Go to SAP Ariba (ariba.com) and create a supplier profile if you do not already have one. An Ariba profile is free.
- Search for Valero Energy Corporation in the Ariba network and request to join their supplier network.
- Complete the Valero-specific supplier profile, which will ask for NAICS codes, certifications, insurance certificates, financial references, and HSE (health, safety, and environmental) compliance documentation.
- Upload your diversity certification documents directly into the profile.
Ariba is also where Valero posts sourcing events, RFPs, and requests for information. Once you are registered and approved, you will receive notifications for opportunities that match your NAICS codes. Choose your NAICS codes carefully. Valero's system filters suppliers by code when assembling bid lists.
Separately, if you are a certified MBE, register with SMSDC (Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council). Valero's procurement team pulls from the SMSDC certified business directory when identifying suppliers for meetings and sourcing events. Being in that directory gives you visibility independent of whether you have completed an Ariba profile.
What Valero buys from diverse suppliers
The largest categories of diverse supplier spend at Valero are:
Construction and turnaround services. Refineries require constant maintenance and periodic turnarounds, which are planned shutdowns that can last weeks and require hundreds of contractors. Scaffolding, insulation, piping, electrical, and civil work are all in play. These contracts are often awarded to prime contractors who then subcontract aggressively. If you are a specialty trade contractor, getting onto a prime's subcontractor list is a viable entry point.
Professional and technical services. Engineering consulting, environmental compliance, inspection services, safety training, and project management are sourced regularly. Mid-size firms with licensed engineers or certified safety professionals are competitive here.
Logistics and transportation. Valero moves large volumes of refined products and feedstocks. Trucking, warehousing, and third-party logistics providers are active procurement categories. Fuel transportation carriers with the right hazmat certifications are in high demand.
IT and business services. Software, staffing, facilities management, and administrative services are bought at the corporate level from San Antonio. These contracts tend to be smaller in dollar terms but are more accessible for businesses without refinery-specific experience.
Marketing and communications. Valero's corporate marketing team in San Antonio sources design, advertising, events, and media buying. These engagements are typically smaller but can be a foot in the door for service businesses.
Events and how to get a meeting
Valero's procurement team shows up at a predictable set of events each year. These are your best opportunities to make a direct connection.
SMSDC Annual Business Opportunity Exchange. This is the most important event for diverse suppliers targeting Valero. SMSDC hosts a matchmaking conference specifically for its certified MBEs and corporate members like Valero. Attend as a certified SMSDC member, pre-register for the matchmaking session, and bring a one-page capability statement. The procurement team sends multiple buyers to this event.
NMSDC Annual Conference. Held each fall, typically in October. Valero attends as a corporate member. The national conference draws Valero buyers from multiple locations and is worth attending once you have an NMSDC MBE certification.
WBENC National Conference. If you are a WBE, this is the equivalent event on the women-owned side. Valero participates.
Texas Governor's Small Business Forum. Valero is an active presence at state-level Texas economic development events. These are lower-competition venues compared to national conferences.
Outside of events, you can request an introduction through SMSDC's Capacity Building program, which connects certified MBEs with corporate members for introductory meetings. If you are already SMSDC-certified, contact the council directly and ask whether they can facilitate an introduction to Valero's supplier diversity manager.
Cold outreach to Valero's procurement department with no event context rarely works. Their team manages hundreds of supplier relationships. Warm introductions through SMSDC or a mutual prime contractor contact convert at much higher rates.
Realistic timeline and first steps
Most businesses that successfully become Valero suppliers spend 12 to 24 months on the front end before landing a first contract. Here is a realistic sequence:
Months 1–3. Get certified. If you do not have an MBE or WBE certification, apply through your NMSDC regional affiliate or WBENC regional partner. SMSDC covers Texas and Louisiana. Processing takes 60 to 90 days. Simultaneously, create your Ariba profile and complete the Valero supplier registration. Upload your certification the moment it arrives.
Months 3–6. Get into the SMSDC directory and attend your first regional event. Refine your capability statement to reflect Valero's procurement language: use their NAICS codes, reference refinery operations, and quantify your past performance.
Months 6–12. Attend SMSDC's annual conference with matchmaking pre-registered. Make contact with at least one Valero buyer or their prime contractor partners. Ask about upcoming turnaround schedules; refineries plan turnarounds 12 to 18 months in advance, and the subcontract lists are assembled early.
Year 2. If you are in a construction or maintenance trade, work to get on a prime contractor's qualified subcontractor list. Many of Valero's prime contractors have their own diverse spend commitments and are actively looking for certified subs. This path often leads to work faster than direct bidding.
One number to keep in mind: Valero's reportable diverse spend includes second-tier spend, meaning money their primes spend with diverse subs. Primes are motivated to hire certified diverse suppliers because it counts toward Valero's metrics. That creates real pull in the market for certified businesses, especially those with verifiable past performance in industrial settings.
Get certified, get into Ariba, and show up at SMSDC. Those three steps put you in the pool. Everything after that is relationship work.
