Patent ID: 8108284
Filing Date: 2012-01-31
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method for implementing an auction including an offer/counteroffer negotiation, said method comprising: receiving at an exchange server host characteristics that define initial terms of an offer associated with a first item of a procurement process, said first item comprising a good, said characteristics comprising a total quantity of the first item and at least a first term wherein said first term identifies an aspect associated with said first item other than a price for said first item and the total quantity of the first item, wherein the terms of the offer are accessible by a first plurality of competitive bidders and a negotiation organizer and changeable by the negotiation organizer with respect to each of the first plurality of competitive bidders individually during the auction, and wherein the negotiation organizer comprises a buyer of the item and each of the first plurality of competitive bidders comprises a seller of the item; publishing said offer by the exchange server host to the first plurality of competitive bidders in the auction; conducting a first negotiation of said first term of said offer for a first quantity of the first item less than the total quantity of the first item with the exchange server host between the negotiation organizer and a first bidder of said first plurality of competitive bidders during the auction and while continuing to accept bids from the first plurality of competitive bidders other than the first bidder based on the initial terms of the offer, said first negotiation comprising: presenting from the exchange server host a negotiation status to all of the first plurality of bidders during the first negotiation, the negotiation status including a current status of the first negotiation and a first remaining quantity of the first item, the first remaining quantity based on the total quantity and the first quantity.