A former executive of a politically connected engineering firm has admitted his role in a $1 million scheme to get around New Jersey’s pay-to-play laws.

Sixty-seven-year-old William Birdsall of Manchester pleaded guilty on Monday to misconduct by a corporate official.

He was senior vice president of Birdsall Services Group before investigators found the company had disguised illegal corporate political contributions as personal contributions from firm employees. The firm would have been disqualified from public contracts if it had made contributions to campaigns and political organizations in its own name.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend Birdsall be sentenced to up to 270 days in county jail. He also paid more than $129,000 as a forfeiture of the political contributions and a $75,000 fine.