Method, apparatus, and system for bidding in rounds

1. A method of conducting an auction comprising:

defining, prior to a first auction, a rule for a second auction based at least in part on user input, the rule limiting participation of bidders in the second auction based on an occurrence in the first auction;

conducting the first auction having a first set of bidders;

designating one or more bidders in the first set of bidders as winners of the first auction;

determining, by a processor, participation of bidders from the first set of bidders in the second auction, in accordance with an application of the rule;

conducting the second auction based on the determined participation; and

designating one or more bidders in the second auction as winners of the second auction;

wherein if the first auction is a forward auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a seller seeks to sell; and

wherein if the first auction is a reverse auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a buyer seeks to buy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the occurrence includes an outcome of the first auction.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rule includes selecting at least two leading bidders from the first auction.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the rule includes permitting only the at least two leading bidders to participate in the second auction.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rule includes not permitting the one or more winners of the first auction to participate in the second auction.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bidders are electronically coupled to an auction coordinator during the conducting of the first and second auction.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the bidders submit bids to the auction coordinator online during the conducting of the first and second auctions.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bidders participate in a sealed bid in the first auction and are electronically coupled to an auction coordinator online during the second auction.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rule includes permitting only bidders bidding less than a predetermined amount to participate in the second auction.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the rule includes

determining that a particular bidder may participate in the second auction if that bidder is a leading bidder in a first auction.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising conducting a third auction including only leading bidders in the first auction.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising conducting a third auction including only leading bidders in the second auction.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein a plurality of bidders may participate in a subsequent auction.

14. A method of conducting an auction, comprising:

conducting a first auction among a plurality of bidders;

awarding a contract to one or more winners of the first auction; and

conducting a second auction among a set of bidders that only includes those bidders determined by a processor to have not been awarded a contract in the first auction;

wherein if the first auction is a forward auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a seller seeks to sell; and

wherein if the first auction is a reverse auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a buyer seeks to buy.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising soliciting potential bidders.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein soliciting potential bidders includes:

preparing a request for quotation;

providing the request for quotation to potential bidders; and

requesting that potential bidders respond to the request for quotation.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said request for quotation includes an identification of goods to be purchased.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said request for quotation includes an identification of services to be purchased.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

awarding a contract to one or more winners of the second auction; and

conducting a third auction among a set of bidders that only includes those bidders that were not awarded a contract in the first auction and bidders that were not awarded a contract in the second auction.

20. A system for conducting an auction, comprising:

a sponsor processor;

a first bidder processor communicating with said sponsor processor; and

a second bidder processor communicating with said sponsor processor;

wherein said sponsor processor contains instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to:

conduct a first auction having a first set of bidders;

designate one or more bidders in the first set of bidders as winners of the first auction;

apply a rule to an occurrence in the first auction, the rule limiting participation of bidders in a second auction based on the occurrence in the first auction;

determine participation of bidders from the first set of bidders in the second auction, in accordance with an application of the rule;

conduct the second auction based on the determined participation; and

designate one or more winners of the second auction;

wherein if the first auction is a forward auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a seller seeks to sell; and

wherein if the first auction is a reverse auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a buyer seeks to buy.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein said first bidder processor and said second bidder processor communicate through an auction coordinator during the first and second auctions.

22. The system of claim 20 , wherein said first bidder processor and said second bidder processor communicate through the Internet during the first and second auctions.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the rule includes permitting only bidders bidding less than a predetermined amount to participate in the second auction.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein the rule includes permitting only bidders bidding more than a predetermined amount to participate in the second auction.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the rule includes permitting only bidders having best bids that fall within a certain range to participate in the second auction.

26. The system of claim 20 wherein the rule includes permitting only bidders designated as top bidders to participate in the second auction.

27. The system of claim 20 wherein the rule includes permitting only bidders having a desirable geographic location to participate in the second auction.

28. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

conduct a first auction having a first set of bidders;

apply a rule to an occurrence in the first auction, the rule limiting participation of bidders in a second auction based on the occurrence in the first auction; and

conduct the second auction based on the determined participation;

wherein if the first auction is a forward auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a seller seeks to sell; and

wherein if the first auction is a reverse auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a buyer seeks to buy.

29. A bidding device operated by a bidder during an online auction, said bidding device comprising:

a memory configured to store one or more bids received from the bidder; and

a communication interface configured to submit the one or more bids to a sponsor processor during a first auction;

wherein the sponsor processor is configured to apply a rule to an occurrence in the first auction, the rule limiting participation of bidders in a second auction based on the occurrence in the first auction; and

wherein the bidding device is selectively enabled to determine participation of the bidder in the second auction in accordance with an application of the rule, and to allow the bidder to submit bids to the sponsor processor in the second auction based on the determined participation;

wherein if the first auction is a forward auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a seller seeks to sell; and

wherein if the first auction is a reverse auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a buyer seeks to buy.

30. The bidding device of claim 29 , wherein the bidding is enabled to allow the bidder to submit bids to the sponsor processor in the second auction only if the bidder has not been awarded a contract in the first auction.