Government Operations committee  Normally in standard government contracts when you have a defective product, you have an obligation or an option to actually get a product in your hand that meets your requirements. If that fails, then you're on to other options. That's just a generic Government of Canada contrac

Government Operations committee  Mr. Chair, the terms would depend on the contract in question. There's a variety—

Government Operations committee  While PSPC is not getting any funding in these estimates for our work on the JSS, the joint support ships, obviously we have a role. The latest announcement or contract signing brings the total cost up to $4.1 billion. That's the current contract that's in place. So that's the up

Government Operations committee  I don't actually have the initial estimate of the PBO in front of me. I can tell you that the most recent update, before this latest one, was $3.4 billion. That has been signalled as being under review for a while. The latest update on cost brings us up to $4.1 billion.

Government Operations committee  Mr. Chair, I'm wondering if that question is better suited for your next series of witnesses, because I believe—I'm going from memory here, and my friends from PCO may be able to help—that's more of a Treasury Board Secretariat question.

Government Operations committee  I cannot give you an answer for invoices so far.

Government Operations committee  I'll have to get back to you. I don't have the information with me, but I can see what we can do. Some of this work has not yet started. Some are recent contracts. I'll have to get back to you, Mr. Chair.

Government Operations committee  On the ones that the member is flagging, Mr. Chair, many of these were given to other departments to be used as surgical masks, because that's a lower grade. They've been put into service—not all of them, but a good majority of them—in other departments where the requirement for

Government Operations committee  I think the highest standard of mask you would see, Mr. Chair, is the KN95. Below that, you would have the surgical mask. A defective—if I could say that—KN95 mask is still a high-grade surgical mask. I'm being very generic in my statement here, but it is suitable for other purpo

Government Operations committee  Of the ones that have been received in Canada, the 9.8 million that the member is referencing, about half, give or take, if I recall correctly—I'll confirm—have been in use by other departments. Some are still being held by PHAC. PHAC actually has the inventory itself.

Government Operations committee  In terms of the negotiations with the supplier on the defective masks, I can't comment. Those conversations are ongoing, but we are still in discussions.

Government Operations committee  That is still ongoing, Mr. Chair.

Government Operations committee  I would highlight two issues. One is timeliness. For some, there have been some issues with timeliness. We're in constant communication with our suppliers to understand, when delivery dates slip, what the date will be. In a case where there are multiple delays, you have to start

Government Operations committee  In terms of expenses that are out the door, I can't give you an answer, but in terms of planned contracts or contracts that are under way, the majority would be under contract.

Government Operations committee  I cannot tell you at this stage. Frankly, it changes on a daily basis. The $500 million we are looking for here, Mr. Chair, is for contracts that PSPC would enter into for itself, as opposed to for clients or other departments. It's a bit of a different ask in that respect.