Hudson County, N.J. auto-parts deals hit $1.13M on a $500K bid

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Eleven months into a two-year deal, Hudson County’s three auto-parts contracts have grown from $500,000 to $1,134,500, about 2.3 times what was awarded, according to Board of County Commissioners agendas reviewed by Hudson TV.

Each increase comes as a “Request for Funds” from the purchasing office in County Executive Craig Guy’s administration. Commissioners then vote on them.

$500,000 bid, $1.13 million in requests

The board’s Nov. 25, 2025 agenda listed the Purchasing Agent’s award of a set-aside bid for automotive parts, with three replies and a two-year term: Northeast Auto & Truck Parts, $277,500; M & G Auto Parts, $114,000; and Automotive Brake, $108,500.

By the Oct. 8 meeting, Northeast’s contract was listed at $497,500, up 79%. On the Oct. 22 agenda, M & G was listed at $328,500, up 188%, after an “Addition No. 1” of $114,000 that equaled its whole award. Automotive Brake was listed at $308,500, up 184%.

The prior round grew too. On the same Nov. 25, 2025 agenda, Automotive Brake’s earlier contract got its ninth increase, to $643,560 from $268,560.

Numbers that don’t add up

Some of the printed tallies don’t match their own lines. On Nov. 25, 2025, Northeast’s earlier contract listed an original $179,040 plus seven additions totaling $245,000. That comes to $424,040, but the agenda printed a “New Contract Amount” of $484,040, $60,000 more. On Oct. 22, M & G’s lines add up to $328,000, not the $328,500 printed.

The gaps may be typing errors. They are still the figures commissioners vote on, and the agendas don’t say which number the county’s certification of funds used.

Vehicle repairs: $200,000 became $435,000

The board’s Feb. 8, 2024 agenda listed a two-year, not-to-exceed $200,000 award for maintenance of county vehicles, with one responsive reply, to A.B. Undercar Repair of Jersey City. The agendas show it rising to $220,000 in June 2025, then $240,000, $255,000, $305,000, $335,000 and $385,000. The Oct. 22 agenda requested another $50,000, for $435,000, up 117.5%.

Three of those increases, in May, August and October 2026, came more than two years after the award. The agenda items don’t say when the contract started or whether it was extended.

Records still pending

Hudson TV asked the county on Oct. 20, under the Open Public Records Act, for the bid documents, executed contracts and terms, each increase with its certification of funds, and the purchase orders and payments for these vendors (request R007728). As of Thursday morning, Hudson TV had not received them. Hudson TV will report what the records show and will add any response from Guy’s office or the vendors.

Nothing in the agendas shows wrongdoing. But when every contract ends at two to three times its bid, the bid amounts tell taxpayers little about what the county will actually spend.

Hudson TV asks: When a county contract outgrows its bid, should it go back out to bid, or is adding money fine?
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