When I get tracks for mastering I like them to be of the highest fidelity possible to the recording. That's my preference, but I can't imagine a situation in which that isn't the case.
I've received mp3s to master in the past, and always wind up having to do some high-end frequency fix due to the down-sampling. Sibilance becomes a problem especially if the master needs a little sparkle, which it almost always does. People here are giving good advice already - ask whoever's doing it - but it would be safe to assume that if you export the mix without changing the bit/sample rate you're good.