MONTEGO BAY, St James

Affiliated Computer Services Inc (ACS), a provider of business process outsourcing and information technology solutions, is to break ground in January for a second office in Montego Bay.

Construction of the 65,000 square-foot multi-million-dollar facility is expected to last between 16 and 18 months and on completion should provide an additional 600 jobs in various positions, including call centre agents, accounting specialists and data processors, Lyn Langford, ACS site operations manager for Jamaica, told the Business Observer yesterday.

ACS serves a wide range of clients from Jamaica, covering a number of different industries, including Healthcare, Finance and Accounting, Education Services, and Human Resources.

The Fortune 500 company is the second-largest information communication and technology (ICT) services provider in Jamaica, and the second-largest ICT employer in Montego Bay.

It is also the only company in the Caribbean that does payroll processing for North American companies.

ACS established its first Montego Bay facility in August 2001, a 45,000 square-foot site where it currently employs more than 1,400 people.

The addition of the second facility, Langford said, is in response to ACS' exceptional growth in the multiple ranges of services it provides from Jamaica.

The new building will be constructed in close proximity to the existing site, facilitating easy access and movement between the two locations.

It will be a two-tiered office and call centre with a two-storey perimeter and three-storey core.

As its new facility is developed, ACS hopes to attract new clients as well as expand its business with current clients, opening up more job opportunities for Montego Bay residents.

According to Langford, ACS is working closely with the developer on a strategic design for its new site, which will provide maximum efficiency and comfort for both employees and clients.

"Jamaica is a key part of ACS' global delivery strategy," she said. "If we hadn't proven ourselves here, and hadn't proven to our clients that we can provide exceptional service supported by superior quality, this opportunity would not have arisen."

Added Langford: "Our future in Jamaica is bright because of the outstanding and tremendously dedicated and talented individuals who work here. Our new facility is a reflection of ACS' commitment to growing and expanding its position in Jamaica, and we look forward to new job opportunities for area residents, as well as continuing to contribute to ACS' worldwide growth."

ACS currently operates two shifts in Montego Bay to cover a wide range of global time zones, and is open from 7:00 am to 11:30 pm Monday through Friday.

ACS employs more than 500,000 employees worldwide and services nearly 100 countries.

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