Method and system for virtual sealed-bid competitions held over a communications network

摘要

A computer-implemental method of transacting a sealed bid competition has deadline-assurance process which in part upholds the integrity of the sealed bid competition. In a sealed bid competition, a buyer originates a “request for bid” communication that specifies bid items as well as includes a parameter of deadline. Participating vendors respond with “response” communications that contain substantive content presumptively responsive to the “request for bid” communication. The object of a sealed bid competition is to keep everyone, including especially the buyer, blind to the bid responses of everyone else until after the deadline. The deadline-integrity process has the buyer either precluded from access to the “response” communications until the deadline or else has the buyer's activity with accessing the “response” communications is logged so that such log record can thereafter disclose if the buyer voluntarily restrained itself from accessing the “response” communications until after the deadline.