These include the TRICARE Operations
Manual (TOM), TRICARE Policy Manual (TPM), TRICARE Reimbursement
Manual (TRM), and TRICARE Systems Manual (TSM). The TRICARE Manuals
are the principal vehicles for general operating instructions to
all health care delivery contractors and may be accessed at
http://manuals.tricare.osd.mil/. The
official archive copies of these documents are maintained at Defense
Health Agency (DHA). The documents and all official changes to them
will be maintained at DHA in an electronic medium using the PDF
(Portable Document Format) format, and are available at the above
web site. Distribution of paper copies will be on an exception basis. Regardless
of publication medium, their printed and displayed appearance will
be identical. The principal means of distribution will be via an
electronic notification of publication and the contractor’s subsequent
download of the manual or change from the above web site. All proposed
changes to these documents will be distributed for review and comment
in an electronic medium, using PDF as the document format, and comments
must be returned to DHA in an acceptable electronic format. Contractors
shall furnish the DHA Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) with designated
point(s) of contact and e-mail address(es) for review and comment
on proposed manual changes, and notification of the final publication
of manual changes.