Details:

Greenwich Consulting and Support Services GCSS is an Afghan-owned and managed private firm duly registered as a limited liability company at the Afghanistan Investment and Support Agency AISA.GCSS was founded in 2014 and quickly grew in capacity after acquiring the license and organisational legacy of INTEQAL LLC another Afghan firm specialising in training research and consulting. Thanks to its acquisition of INTEQAL GCSS benefits from over four years of corporate experience continuing a track record of providing highly competitive technical advice training support and partnership.We at GCSS bring together a dynamic and highly driven team of experts and professionals all of whom share the companys goal of solving problems for our clients. Our assets mainly include an in-house pool of staff and senior associates who are both knowledgeable and passionate about the subjects they specialise in.Our clients mainly include private businesses that seek to operate effectively and legally in Afghanistan as well as government and donor organizations requiring technical expertise that is effective and sensitive to the Afghan context.We bring a new result-oriented approach to consulting and support services business where the quality of our information and advice is matched by our commitment to facilitate success build capacity and actively partner with our clients to achieve success.OUR VALUESGCSS is guided in its work by three pillars integrity competence and innovation.Integrity is maintained through adherence to the values of transparency respect and hard work. While maintaining confidentiality at all times we at GCSS maintain a culture of transparency within the company and with clients. We at GCSS show utmost respect to everyone from clients and counterparts to general public regardless of their nationality gender race ethnicity other differences. While respect is a policy of GCSS it has now been engrained into the culture of the company. Working hard to provide the highest quality of service even beyond contractual obligations is part of our commitment to integrity.Competence at GCSS is defined as bringing together the wisdom of the experienced with the knowledge of the educated and selecting the most relevant staff for each task. Our company is continuously developing the capacity of its own staff in technical skills as well as their core competencies and work ethics. This has created a core of professional staff at the heart of and a group of proficient associates around the company.Innovation is very important to GCSS. We at GCSS realise that as an Afghan enterprise we have the duty to be part of the solution to a multitude of issues faced in Afghanistan. Therefore we strive to be a front-runner in finding innovative solutions to problems. This includes looking critically at and learning from our own past work as well as seeking to learn from the academic knowledge and entrepreneurial excellence of others in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the world.OUR APPROACHConsulting and support services are highly competitive fields. As our motto your partner in Afghanistan indicates we work with our own expertise and through brokering partnerships. We have proven expertise in our areas of specialisation and we draw on resources outside our company to meet the demands of our partners.GCSS brings a unique approach to the consulting industry by articulating packaging and re-applying lessons from our experience with Afghanistans development and transition over the past 14 years.This strategic orientation is matched by our internationally acquired expertise as well as our commitment to proven best practice and together they make GCSS a reliable partner of choice for national and international actors working in Afghanistan.We at GCSS have a competitive edge thanks to the unique and highly prized perspective we bring to our partnerships one that is rooted locally but applicable globally.To ensure this in addition to a dynamic core management team we have a highly qualified group of associates who are selected based on their transferable experience. Our associates have all served in the past at very high level positions in government non-governmental and private sectors.We rely on our team of associates not only to provide our core services advice facilitation support and partnership but also to build a system of knowledge management for articulation of lessons learnt and reapplication of lessons.

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Products / Services:

The core competencies as a firm include 1 Advice and training 2 Facilitation Support and 3 Brokering partnerships. Drawing on our internal expertise and large network of contacts we offer tailor-made advice support and partnership to local and international actors with a focus on the following areas1.Management Organisational DevelopmentGSCCs pool of experts and associates incudes seasoned managers and those who have studied management and organisational development as a discipline. We have consultants on our roster who have experience of turning around medium to large scale organisations including private companies with the potential to generate significant profits. Through the acquisition of INTEQAL LLC we have gained experience of implementing multiple training capacity building and human resource management projects within Afghanistan.Building on our three core competencies stated above the specific services we offer in this particular area includeManagement consulting including advice and supportProviding back-office functions including finance managementTraining programmes on administrative skillsMentoring and support on management issues such as leadershipHuman resource support including recruitment HR procedures etcMonitoring and evaluation of projectsAdvice and support organisational change managementOrganisational learning and knowledge management andOther relevant functions. 2.Business Facilitation Finance and Enterprise DevelopmentWe at GCSS assist companies with obtaining and maintaining the required licensing to operate in Afghanistan as well as securing necessary partnerships to protect and expand financial and institutional investments. We have developed partnerships with some of Afghanistans largest financial institutions including banks with the aim of leveraging such contacts for financing and enterprise development.Specific services offered includeAdvice on business opportunities and enterpriseGeneral government relations support for businessesBusiness start-up facilitation particularly AISA registrationAdvice and support on risk assessment and risk mitigationAdvice and support with financing opportunitiesMediation arbitration and dispute resolution support andOther relevant functions. 3.Law Government Legal ComplianceNavigating and complying with Afghan legal requirements for businesses and NGOs can be tricky. Therefore GCSS has brought together one of the most qualified legal team available in Afghanistan to offer support for enterprises to ensure that their investments and efforts in the country meet requirements and are not compromised by misunderstandings or complexities. We track the fast-changing regulatory environment in the country and strive to ensure that our clients stay on top of the legal compliance requirement at all times.Specific services offered includeLegal advice on business and the general regulatory environment in AfghanistanFacilitation of all government related services including visa passports work-permits etc.Litigation and legal representation supportAssessments of companies and organisations with a focus on legal compliance issues in AfghanistanAdvice and support on tax filing customs and statutory liabilities andOther relevant functions. 4.Security Risk ManagementIn Afghanistan security remains a priority concern and national and international actors continue to need advice facilitation and support in order to fulfil their security requirements. At GCSS we have experts who have first-hand knowledge of the rapidly changing security sector reform in the country notably the issues concerning the operations of private security companies PSCs the challenges of diplomatic and exempt security operations and of course the evolution of the Afghan Public Protection Force APPF at the Ministry of Interior Affairs. As such GCSS helps its clients navigate the legal requirements and practical arrangements necessary to secure security including APPF services as well as to ensure the integrity and capacity of assigned forces.Specific services offered includeAdvice and support on security risks and risk mitigation strategiesGovernment liaison including with APPFTraining and certification support for PSCsTailor-made training packages andOther relevant functions. 5.Civil Society Media Strategic CommunicationThe founders and associates of GCSS have roots in the Afghan civil society and as such are aware of the opportunities and challenges that public and private sector actors working with civil society entities face. In particular the GCSS has an exceptionally strong capacity to work in the area of media and strategic communication. We bring together some of Afghanistan well-renowned media and communication experts and are currently working to develop unique projects in collaboration with the Afghan Government and the donor community.Specific services offered includeCapacity building projects for civil society organisationsFacilitation of media production activitiesAdvertisingAdvice and support on strategic communication initiativesAdvice and support for conducting surveys and opinion polls andOther relevant functions. 6.Productive Sectors Agriculture and Mining Today in Afghanistan agriculture and mining are the two productive sectors that hold the promise of generating tangible economic growth and both these sectors are increasingly attracting interest from public and private sector investors. We at GCSS believe that success in achieving growth and return on investment in these two sectors require not only hard assets but also soft enterprise. With this realisation in mind GCSS aims to be a pioneer in facilitating investment and growth in mining but more importantly in agriculture sector which is ripe for investment right now.Specific services offered includeAdvice and facilitation of investment in mining and agricultureAdvice on designing smart plans and business interventionsSupport for branding and marketing with a focus on agri-businessAdvice and lobbying for policy change that is conducive to more rapid growth in the productive sectorsAdvice and support for exportsSupporting initiatives for attracting international investors andOther relevant functions. 7.Public Policy and Services Health and Education Public services notably health and education have seen significant investments and expansion over the past decade. However quality of services remain a key challenge in both sectors. As an innovative enterprise GCSS seeks to contribute where necessary by building the capacity of public and private sector actors. GCSS has substantial research and evaluation expertise both our own and also inherited through the extensive track record established by INTEQAL LLC.Specific services offered includeAdvice and support on policy making in the Afghan GovernmentResearch and analysis offered to clients on public policy subjectsAdvice and support on projects in the area of educationAdvice and support on projects in the area of health andOther relevant functions. 8.Research ServicesGCSS provides services ranging from design through execution of research studies both quantitative and qualitative for universities non-profit organizations corporate and government clients. We conduct focus groups in English Dari and Pashtu surveys both paper-and-pencil and computer-assisted in-depth and key-informant interviews translation of research instruments into languages other than English data processing and preparation of analytical datasets.Specific services offered includeProposal writing instrument design qualitative data collectionData collection systems data preparationreduction staff developmentStudy design instrument translation quantitative data collectionMaterials preparation data cleaning and processingOther relevant functions. 9.Environment and Natural Resources Oil and Gas Afghanistan is not an oil producing country its economy is primarily agricultural. The country imports petroleum products such as diesel gasoline and jet fuel from Pakistan and Uzbekistan with limited volumes from Turkmenistan and Iran serving regional markets. Turkmenistan also has a petroleum product storage and distribution facility at Tagtabazar Kushka on the Turkmen side of the Afghan border which supplies northwestern Afghanistan.At GCSS we have experts with petroleum products and import service expertise. The Angot Oilfield located in Sar-i-Pol province produces a small quantity of crude oil. A pipeline connects the Djarquduk Khowaja Gogerak and Yatimtaq natural gas fields to Mazar-i-Sharif. Limited amounts of gas are currently supplied to a 48-MW power plant near Mazar-I-Sharif which is operating at less than one-third full capacity and for the 100000 mty fertilizer plant which is partially operational. There are also small-diameter pipelines which supply gas to the Khwaja Gogerdak and Djarquduk gas fields and nearby villages.Importing service offered includeIdentify potential suppliers and obtain a catalogue samples prices and payment termsSelect a customs broker to assist with importationMeet with the international division of your bankPrepare a cost analysis to arrive at a landed costDetermine commercial viabilityIdentify any special requirementsPlace an order with the supplierAdvise your customs broker of the detailsFacilitate and receive delivery of the products including diesel gasoline and other related resources 10.Translation Interpreting and Communication Support Service GCSS provides confidential translation interpreting and communication support services to profit and non-profit organizations corporate and government clients. The service aims to offer improved access to users of non-profit organizations corporate and government clients whose first language is not English and or have other communication needs.Specific services offered includeProvide interpreter s to your organisation when you have client related meetingsTranslate client related documents and marketing materials into English Dari and Pashtu languageProvide alternative formats including large print and multiple format audioProvide captioning and hearing loopsOther relevant functions.

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Capabilities:

1. Management Organisational Development2.Business Facilitation Finance and Enterprise Development3.Law Government Legal Compliance4.Security Risk Management5.Civil Society Media Strategic Communication6.Productive Sectors Agriculture and Mining 7.Public Policy and Services Health and Education 8.Research Services9.Environment and Natural Resources Oil and Gas 10.Translation Interpreting and Communication Support Service

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