The administration of California Governor Gavin Newsom has released the contract for a $6.2 million diaper program with the nonprofit Baby2Baby, following questions about its noncompetitive designation and a delay in public disclosure. The agreement aims to provide 400 free diapers to newborns at participating California hospitals.
Governor Newsom stated in May that the deal was secured through a "competitive bidding process." However, state contract records list it as "NON-COMPETITIVELY BID," according to CBS California Investigates. Instead of formal bids, the state used a "Request for Information" process, which was described as not being a solicitation and where submitted prices would not be considered bids.
Newsom's office defended the process, asserting that 15 groups responded and were evaluated based on cost and distribution capabilities, maintaining that the governor's reference to a competitive process remained accurate. Records reportedly lacked scoring sheets, rankings, or clear evaluation criteria. Some applicants claimed they were unaware they were no longer being considered until the partnership was publicly announced.
California's 2025 budget included an exemption for this program, allowing it to bypass normal bidding rules and other state review requirements. The budget reportedly contains over two dozen similar exemptions totaling more than $1 billion in spending, with about two-thirds of these exemptions being permanent.
The contract was released on July 17, 66 days after a public records request was filed. The governor's office attributed the delay to the need for its legal team to process the request. This is reportedly the third instance where Baby2Baby has received state funding without a competitive bid.
Furthermore, Baby2Baby co-CEO Norah Weinstein is a board member of the California Partners Project, an organization founded by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The state released the contract 66 days after the public records request was filed.