No Bid, $713,000 MBTA Contract Handed to Phil Eng Friend

Massachusetts Republican Party Demands Accountability of MBTA Over No-Bid, Consultant Contract

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Republican Party today called for holding the Healey Administration accountable after revelations that a no-bid contract worth more than $713,000 was awarded to a longtime associate of MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng.

James “Rod” Brooks, who previously worked under Eng at the Long Island Rail Road, received the initial one-year no-bid contract in 2023 and has continued to be paid nearly three years later. Public records show Brooks has worked almost exclusively from his home in South Carolina, spending less than 9 percent of his time in Massachusetts and collecting roughly $26,000 per month in taxpayer funds.

“Taxpayers deserve real accountability at the MBTA, not sweetheart deals for insiders,” said Massachusetts Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale. “This no-bid arrangement with a friend of the General Manager raises serious questions about waste, favoritism, and whether public money is delivering results for riders. Governor Healey and the MBTA Board must immediately be held accountable and examine all no-bid contracts and ensure every dollar supports improved service and safety rather than remote work from out of state.”

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