Federal Stockpile to Buy 381 Million U.S.-Made Surgical Masks

The U.S. medical stockpile plans to buy 381 million disposable surgical masks made in the U.S., according to a notice posted Tuesday.

The Strategic National Stockpile plans to award multiple contracts, limited to “manufacturers providing products manufactured within the United States or its outlying areas,” according to the notice. At least 55% of the cost of materials must be made or sourced from the U.S., its territories, or tribal locations.

Surgical masks are among the many types of protective equipment that doctors struggled to get earlier in the Covid-19 pandemic. They are among several types of personal protective equipment on ...