This is the In Depth show blog. Here you can listen to the interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day and links to additional resources.

John Salamone — Managing Consultant, Federal Management Partners

President Barack Obama says you won’t get a raise until the expiration of the continuing resolution Congress is promising. That’s the end of March 2013.

Combine the extended pay freeze with a close look in Congress at conference spending and the general attitude in the country toward federal employees, and HR pros say it’s getting harder to keep talent at agencies.

John Salamone, managing consultant with Federal Management Partners, discusses how agency leaders can “manage around” these obstacles.

Richard Stiennon — Founder and President, IT Harvest

The United States participates in treaties in many different areas. Now, some cybersecurity experts are proposing an international cyberspace treaty. That idea makes some people a bit queasy, though. Richard Stiennon, the founder and president of IT Harvest, says he’s been hearing from experts on both sides of the concept.

In a commentary published on Forbes.com, Stiennon writes that the debate “is going to rage for quite a while. There will be no short term resolution and we will see an escalating arms race and cyber weapons incorporated in most arsenals long before we see any international agreement to restrict cyber arms.”

This story is part of Federal News Radio’s daily Cybersecurity Update. For more cybersecurity news, click here.

Brian Friel — Federal Business Analyst, Bloomberg Government

The Department of Veterans Affairs has more than $8 billion dollars worth of veteran benefits and health care contracts that won’t be subject to the automatic budget cuts, known as sequestration, set to take effect in January.

But the Office of Management and Budget is looking at nearly $10 billion in non-health contracts to cut administrative costs.

Brian Friel, a federal business analyst for Bloomberg Government, discusses which programs are safe from sequestration and how contractors can shift their business strategies ahead of the cuts.

Claude Goddard — Partner, Husch Blackwell

Monday is the first day of new reporting requirements for executive compensation at contractors and subcontractors.

Claude Goddard, a partner at Husch Blackwell, wrote about the changes from the FAR Council and what they mean for contractors on the Contractor’s Perspective, Husch Blackwell’s blog.

The latest news on executive compensation and first-tier subcontract reporting requirements (related link)

Amb. David Smith — Cyber Center Director, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies

If Russian cyber threats don’t get reported as often as attacks from the Chinese or other international groups, are they less dangerous? It’s kind of like the old expression “if a tree falls in the forest and no one’s around, does it make a noise?”

Some people say the lack of attention could make the situation even more dangerous. Ambassador David Smith, the Cyber Center Director at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, discusses the cyber threat coming from Russia.

Click here for the Potomac Institute’s analysis.

This story is part of Federal News Radio’s daily Cybersecurity Update. For more cybersecurity news, click here.

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