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.

Today's guests:

Claude Goddard — Partner, Husch Blackwell

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Federal contract eligibility depends in large part on the relationship with a contracting officer. But sometimes COs deny contracts based on what another agency says about a company's conduct.

Claude Goddard, a partner at Husch Blackwell, and the author of The Contractor's Perspective blog, joins In Depth to discuss whether contracting officers can deny deny contract based on the conclusions or investigations of other agencies.

Unsupported fraud allegations don't support a determination of nonresponsibility (related link)

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Gordon Adams — Professor of International Relations, American University

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Sequester or otherwise, the defense budget is going to shrink over the next few years. Debates will continue over how best to shrink costs while maintaining a strong fighting force. But there might be a way to have both.

In a commentary on Foreign Policy, Gordon Adams, a distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center and professor of U.S. foreign policy at American University, notes that even before the cuts go into effect, the defense budget is in a period of draw-down.

Gordon says embracing sequestration might help the White House force a more disciplined fiscal approach on the Pentagon.

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Guy Timberlake — Co-founder and Chief Visionary Officer, American Small Business Coalition

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It seems like common sense for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses to look at the Veterans Affairs Department for contract opportunities. But there's a treasure trove of a small acquisition contracts that might be off the small-business radar.

Guy Timberlake, co-founder and chief visionary officer of the American Small Business Coalition, joins In Depth to discuss these opportunities.

GAO has a 'Simplified' business opportunity for SDVOSBs at VA (link to Guy's blog post)

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Also on the show:

Agency of the Month: No new buyouts on Postal Service horizon

Industry Chatter: Exceptional Software Strategies' Ray Bowen demystifies the cloud (encore airing)

In Depth brings you the latest cybersecurity and defense news. Below, find links to the stories mentioned.

Pentagon Solutions: DoD's Wennergren on innovation, leadership (Federal News Radio)

China Most Threatening Cyberspace Force, U.S. Panel Says (Bloomberg)

Cybersecurity Bill Prospects Remain Slim, With or Without Executive Order (CQ)