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The federal government is once again making arrangements involving N95 respirators and medical masks.

A newly posted procurement notice shows the Public Health Agency of Canada is seeking a contractor to provide distribution services for respirators and medical masks through its existing networks and emergency partners. The solicitation was posted through the government procurement platform MERX.

According to the procurement notice, the selected contractor would be responsible for distributing respirators and medical masks to "operational sites" including office locations, reception centres and emergency lodging facilities, as well as through networks of communities, non-government organizations and emergency management partners on behalf of PHAC.

The notice does not indicate that a new public health emergency has been declared, nor does it specifically reference COVID-19. The request appears tied to PHAC's ongoing management of its emergency stockpile and distribution systems. 

Canada has maintained large inventories of masks and respirators through the federal emergency stockpile system since the COVID-19 pandemic. Ottawa previously entered into long-term agreements for domestic production and supply of N95 respirators and medical masks to support future emergency preparedness.