TRICARE Active Duty Dental Program Contract Awarded Published Oct. 1, 2008 FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- The Department of Defense awarded the TRICARE Active Duty Dental Program (ADDP) contract to United Concordia Companies, Inc. of Harrisburg, Pa., effective Sept. 26. The contract provides for premium-free dental healthcare services to Active Duty Service Members (ADSMs) referred from military Dental Treatment Facilities (DTFs) for civilian care, as well as dental coverage for those ADSMs under the Remote Active Duty Dental Program. The remote program provides dental healthcare to ADSMs who have a duty location and residence farther than 50 miles from a military dental facility. Reservists and National Guard members who are on orders to active duty for a period of more than 30 continuous days are considered ADSMs from their initial activation date. In certain circumstances service members no longer on active duty may also be eligible for coverage when injured while serving on orders. Many features of the new contract, which is slated to begin services Aug. 1, 2009, are currently handled by the Military Member Support Office (MMSO) under TRICARE Management Activity (TMA). Establishing a network of providers is new under the contract. "United Concordia will establish an extensive dental provider network covering the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands," said Army Maj. Gen. Elder Granger, TMA deputy director. "TRICARE aims to ensure the highest level of beneficiary satisfaction and contractor performance in controlling costs," he said. "Network dentists will provide the same dental benefits that are received at military DTFs, to include comprehensive preventive services such as oral cancer screenings." The performance period includes a base year and five one-year option periods with a total value of $667,698,420.00 if all options are exercised. The contract includes associated administrative services such as customer service, provider reimbursement and education. Source selection procedures in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation were used to determine the successful offeror.