California Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration made a contract public on Friday following scrutiny over a noncompetitive designation for the state’s $6.2 million diaper initiative, and concerns about delays in revealing the agreement.
The deal with Baby2Baby, a nonprofit, aims to provide 400 free diapers to families with newborns at select hospitals across California. Newsom stated in May that the partnership underwent a “competitive bidding process,” yet the official state contract database categorizes it as a “non-competitive bid.”
Interestingly, instead of a formal bidding procedure, the state solicited information from interested entities via a “request for information.” Reports indicate that this request clarified that submitted prices “not as a solicitation” would not be deemed bids.
In response to the criticism, Newsom’s office defended the process, mentioning that 15 organizations expressed interest and were evaluated based on their pricing and capability to distribute diapers. They emphasized that “the process was competitive in nature,” although records reportedly lacked any detailed evaluation criteria or rankings.
Some applicants indicated that they only learned of their non-consideration when Newsom announced the collaboration with Baby2Baby. Significantly, the 2025 budget for California exempted this program from standard bidding protocols and other review stipulations.
A CBS investigation has uncovered over 20 similar exemptions, totaling more than $1 billion in state budget expenditures, with around two-thirds lacking expiration dates. Notably, the state ended the diaper contract on July 17, just a day after 66 days following a media public records request, claiming that additional time was necessary for legal review.
Finally, CBS California pointed out that this is not the first instance of Baby2Baby receiving state funding without competitive bids. The nonprofit maintains connections to the Newsom administration, with co-CEO Nora Weinstein serving on the board of the California Partners Project, an organization established by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Newsom’s spouse.
Fox News Digital sought comments from both Newsom’s office and Baby2Baby but did not receive an immediate response.
