Government and Middle East contracts, from the first proposal to the final claim
Bassett & Associates helps small and mid-sized companies prepare proposals, manage contracts after award, and resolve claims and disputes. We're veteran-owned and led by a former Army contracting officer who spent 13 years in Saudi Aramco's contracting department.
Large buyers keep whole departments to protect their side of the contract. Most small suppliers have a deadline, and whoever is free that week.
Government agencies and national oil companies employ contracting officers, lawyers, and claims specialists. Terms get signed before they're fully priced, and suppliers find out what the contract really says when something goes wrong.
We spent more than 30 years on the buyer's side of that table. We help you read the contract the way they do, and answer it the way they expect.
Support at every stage of the contract
One team from the RFP to closeout, so nothing is lost between proposal, performance, and claim.
Proposals and quotes
We analyze the RFP, flag compliance risks and unfavorable terms, and help you build a proposal or quote that is responsive, priced to the risk, and easy for an evaluator to score.
- RFP analysis
- Compliance review
- Proposal and quote development
Contract administration
We help you manage the contract after award, including modifications, scope disagreements, and performance issues, with records that hold up later.
- Modifications and change orders
- Scope and performance issues
- Correspondence and records
Claims and dispute resolution
We prepare and negotiate claims and settlements, including claims against national oil companies and Fortune 500 operators in the Gulf.
- Claims preparation
- Settlement negotiation
- Dispute resolution
Contracting in the Gulf, from someone who worked inside it
Our founder spent 13 years in Saudi Aramco's contracting department as a contracting representative, supervisor, claims specialist, and member of the contracting ethics group. He knows how major government-affiliated buyers in the region evaluate bids, administer contracts, and respond to claims.
- 01 Bid and prequalification support for Gulf national oil companies and operators
- 02 Contract administration under owner-drafted terms
- 03 Claims against national oil companies and Fortune 500 operators
Thomas Bassett, CPCM
Tom has spent more than three decades on the buyer's side of the contract, first in uniform and then inside one of the largest energy companies in the world.
He served 20 years as a U.S. Army officer after early service in the Marine Corps, much of it as a government contracting officer in contingency environments and with the Defense Contract Management Agency. He then spent 13 years in Saudi Aramco's contracting department as a contracting representative, supervisor, and claims specialist, and served on its contracting ethics group. He holds the Certified Professional Contracts Manager credential from the National Contract Management Association.
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Early career
United States Marine CorpsEarly military service
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20 years
U.S. Army officerContracting officer in contingency environments
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DCMA
Defense Contract Management AgencyGovernment contract administration
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13 years
Saudi Aramco, ContractingRepresentative, supervisor, claims specialist, ethics group
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Today
Bassett & AssociatesFounder and Principal
A small senior team
You work directly with experienced contracts professionals, not a rotating bench of junior staff.
Brian Murphy, CPCM
Brian has spent 30 years leading contract and program management, on the government's side and inside one of the largest energy companies in the world.
After more than 20 years as a U.S. Army officer, he became a contracting officer at the Army's Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) in Orlando. From 2009 to 2014 he was Branch Chief and a warranted contracting officer at the Natick Contracting Division, where he set up and led a 15-person contracting office, awarded and administered more than $2 billion in contract actions a year, and regularly served as Source Selection Authority.
From 2014 to 2025 he was a supervisor in Saudi Aramco's contracting department, overseeing a portfolio of more than $27 billion in gas compression stations, cross-country pipelines, well tie-ins, and other construction. He chaired several Contract Dispute Settlement Boards on multi-million-dollar claim appeals.
Since 2016 he has also served as Director of Contracts at Applied Training Solutions, a federal contractor, where he manages its contracts and subcontracts and writes and reviews its proposals.
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1987–2008
U.S. Army officerWorldwide service
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2007–2009
Contracting officerU.S. Army PEO STRI, Orlando
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2009–2014
Natick Contracting DivisionBranch Chief and warranted contracting officer (GS-14)
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2014–2025
Saudi Aramco, ContractingSupervisor; chair, Contract Dispute Settlement Boards
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Today
Bassett & AssociatesPartner, Contracts and Proposals
Tom T., PMP
Tom has spent his career leading supply chain, procurement, and contracting operations in the oil and gas and aviation industries.
He spent 13 years in airline operations with Cathay Pacific Airways, Northwest Airlines, and Delta Air Lines. He ran international cargo and passenger operations, pilot bases serving more than 600 pilots, and an $18 million cargo operation with 130 employees, and he sourced and managed the suppliers behind them.
From 2009 to 2014 he was at Alyeska Pipeline Service Company in Alaska. He first directed supply chain strategy for high-risk, high-spend maintenance and capital projects, then led a team of 10 managers as Large Contracts and Systems Manager.
Since 2014 he has worked in Saudi Aramco's contracting department. As Sourcing Unit Supervisor he led the sourcing and qualification of service suppliers worldwide, and since 2024 he has been Head of Master Service Agreement and Affiliate Support Contracting.
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1996–2004
Cathay Pacific AirwaysManager on Duty, Anchorage and Los Angeles
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2004–2009
Northwest Airlines and Delta Air LinesPilot Base Manager; General Manager, Cargo
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2009–2014
Alyeska Pipeline Service CompanySector Manager; Large Contracts and Systems Manager
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Since 2014
Saudi Aramco, ContractingSourcing Unit Supervisor; Head of Master Service Agreement and Affiliate Support Contracting
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Today
Bassett & AssociatesPartner, Prequalification and Claims
Damon C., CPCM
Damon is a former U.S. Air Force contracting officer who has negotiated and managed complex contracts for the Department of Defense, a Department of Energy nuclear construction project, and Saudi Aramco. His specialties include complex price negotiations, settlements, source selections, cost and price analysis, and GAO protests.
Over 11 years as an Air Force officer he served as a contracting officer at Beale and Langley Air Force Bases, then as Chief of Contracts at Air Mobility Command in Ramstein, Germany, where he directed the $2.5 billion International Airlift Contract for Europe and Southwest Asia. In 2007 he deployed to Baghdad as Deputy Chief of Major Source Selections for Joint Contracting Command Iraq-Afghanistan, leading $1.95 billion in source selections.
From 2008 to 2014 he managed subcontracts and procurement for the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility at the Savannah River Site, where he led the purchase of prototype nuclear processing equipment.
Since 2014 he has worked in Saudi Aramco's contracting department as a senior contracts representative, contract analyst, and Contracting Center of Excellence group lead. He now supervises the unit that qualifies Aramco's services suppliers.
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1997–2003
Air Force contracting officerAir Combat Command, Beale and Langley Air Force Bases
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2003–2006
Chief of ContractsAir Mobility Command, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
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2006–2008
Major, U.S. Air ForceInstallation Support Flight Commander, Patrick AFB; deployed to Baghdad, 2007
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2008–2014
MOX Fuel Fabrication FacilitySubcontracts and Procurement Manager
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Since 2014
Saudi Aramco, ContractingSenior Contracts Representative; Supervisor, Sourcing Unit
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Today
Bassett & AssociatesPartner, Middle East Contracts
Four steps, and a clear answer at the first one
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1Initial consultation
A short call to understand the contract, the buyer, and your deadline.
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2Document review
We review the RFP, contract, or claim file and identify the issues that matter.
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3Plan and scope
You get a written plan with clear scope, timeline, and fee before work begins.
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4Execution and support
We work alongside your team through submission, negotiation, or settlement.
Common questions
Mostly small and mid-sized firms in engineering, construction, energy services, logistics, and defense supply that compete for contracts with much larger buyers.
Yes. Much of our work happens after award: modifications, scope disagreements, performance issues, and preparing for closeout.
Yes. Tom worked as a claims specialist in Saudi Aramco's contracting department, and we support claims and disputes with national oil companies and major operators in the Gulf.
The solicitation, any amendments, your draft response if you have one, and the submission deadline. We'll tell you quickly whether we can help.
No. We are contracts professionals. When a matter needs legal counsel, we work alongside your attorney.
Have a proposal due, a contract in trouble, or a claim to resolve?
Tell us where you are in the contract. We'll tell you plainly whether we can help.