INFANT Act of 2025
The INFANT Act of 2025 would amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to alter how infant formula contracts are awarded under the WIC program. Specifically, it would require the contracting process to select two manufacturers with the lowest sealed bids to supply infant formula, designating one as the primary and one as the secondary manufacturer. The language changes also adjust terminology throughout the statute (replacing “primary” with “manufacturer” in several places and pluralizing contract awards). The goal appears to be increasing competition and diversifying supply to improve access and potentially lower costs for WIC participants, though it adds administrative complexity for federal and state agencies. In short, the bill shifts WIC infant formula procurement from a single-path contract to a two-manufacturer, price-based system, and it updates several wording conventions to reflect that change.
Key Points
- 1Competitive bidding would require selecting two manufacturers offering the lowest price (based on sealed bids) for use in the WIC infant formula program.
- 2Of the two selected manufacturers, one would be designated as the primary manufacturer and the other as the secondary manufacturer.
- 3The statute would change terminology by replacing references to “primary” with “manufacturer,” removing the word “specific,” and changing “a contract is awarded” to “contracts are awarded,” indicating multiple contracts.
- 4The changes apply to Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, affecting how WIC infant formula contracting is conducted and designated.
- 5The bill’s formal details: introduced in the House on October 14, 2025 by Ms. Stefanik (for herself and Mr. Turner of Ohio), referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and labeled the “Improving Newborn Formula Access for a Nutritious Tomorrow Act of 2025” or “INFANT Act of 2025.”