Sale of Indicted NJ Engineering Firm Approved

The assets of a New Jersey engineering company accused of circumventing the state's pay-to-play laws have been sold to a California firm.

The sale of Birdsall Services Group was formally approved Wednesday in U.S. Bankruptcy court.

The winning firm, Partner Assessment Corp., operates Torrance-based Partner Engineering and Science. It will pay $5.6 million, along with additional payments based on future revenue and accounts receivable.

Partner Assessment said it will operate the company under its name, complete all of Birdsall's contracts and seek to continue work in New Jersey. The company hopes to retain as many Birdsall employees as possible.

Birdsall and seven top executives are accused of conspiring to avoid the state's pay-to-play law by disguising illegal corporate political contributions as personal contributions of employees.

The criminal case is pending.

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