Patent ID: 8433615

Claim:
A computer implemented method facilitating a multi-phase evaluation for a bidding between a buyer and a plurality of suppliers, said method comprising: receiving a plurality of information packets in a digital processing system, wherein each information packet is received from a corresponding one of said plurality of suppliers as a bid, wherein each of said plurality of information packets contains information elements associated with corresponding one of a sequence of phases as a part of said bidding for said goods or services; storing said plurality of information elements in a non-volatile storage of a data store; evaluating, by a server, sequentially each of said sequence of phases for said goods or services by examining said plurality of information packets received in said digital processing system, wherein only suppliers qualifying successfully in one phase are evaluated in a subsequent phase in said sequence of phases, wherein all of said plurality of information packets corresponding to all of said sequence of phases are received before start of said evaluating of a first phase of said sequence of phases; receiving in said digital processing system an indication indicating that a specific phase of said bidding is to be evaluated starting at a time instance' wherein said specific phase follows a previous phase in an order specified in said sequence of phases and wherein said previous phase and said specific phase are contained in said sequence of phases; allowing to said buyer access of information elements associated with said specific phase only after said time instance such that access to information elements associated with said specific phase is denied before said time instance, said allowing to allow access of information elements associated with said previous phase before said time instance, said allowing being performed in said digital processing system.