The Newsom administration has released the contract behind California's $6.2 million diaper programme following scrutiny over why the deal was awarded on a noncompetitive basis and a reported delay in publishing the agreement. The disclosure comes after officials had previously described the procurement process as "competitive," prompting questions about how the contract was actually awarded and why details were withheld until now.

The agreement is with the nonprofit Baby2Baby and will provide families of newborns with 400 free diapers at participating California hospitals. Governor Gavin Newsom first unveiled the partnership in May, but the release of the underlying contract only followed after journalists and critics pressed for transparency on the noncompetitive designation of the deal.