Howard Community College is on the G-list.
The U.S. General Services Administration, which manages the federal government?s purchasing, recently added the college to its one-stop shopping list for approved products and services, according to the agency.
Howard Community College is one of the few community colleges in the nation to have secured the title of an official contractor through GSA, said Patty Keeton, HCC?s executive director of workforce development. Typically certain sections of four-year universities seek this approval, such as the University of Maryland?s Leadership Institute, she said.
Before this approval, arduous federal procedures had made it tough for government agencies to order courses through the college.
“They liked what we were doing, but they couldn?t order it easily, because we weren?t on their list of contractors,” said Patrick Huddie, chairman of the college?s board of trustees.
Having been selected as an official contractor for government contracts through GSA makes it easier for agencies to buy training courses from the college.
“Taxpayers have contributed a lot of money to the school, so if we could do something of high quality for those at Fort Meade or elsewhere, then why not?” he said, referring to the several nearby government offices.
It?s unusual for the college to open up such a wide array of courses, Keeton said.
The agencies can opt to take the classes at the college campus or the college will bring the courses to the agency, she said.
“If they have a need, then we could develop and design a course particular to them,” she said.
AT A GLANCE
More than 200 Howard Community College courses are now available to government agencies, such as Spanish, Arabic and Korean languages; computer systems implementation and sales and sales management.
