A Computerized Third Party for Negotiation: Technologies and Applications - MP 29-08

The Metron team, consisting of Metron, Inc., Mr. John Kettelle and Ketron Optimization, proposes to develop a secure, web-based system, which we call the Computerized Third Party (CTP) system, that would enable multiple government, military and commercial parties to negotiate a set of issues by providing value functions and constraints on those issues privately to a centralized server. The CTP algorithms would then determine whether there is “room for a deal” – a set of agreements that would be acceptable to all parties. If so, then the CTP could help guide the negotiation of a final agreement that is acceptable and as beneficial to all parties as possible in terms of sharing the excess “room” found by the system. Under the Phase II effort, we propose: (1) to extend the research on negotiation models, mechanisms and incentives, (2) to implement the full distributed, client-server version of the general CTP system, and (3) to test the CTP system “in-house” on several different types of generic negotiations. We will then apply the technology to several problems of DoD interest, including Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) reviews, Israel-Palestine negotiations, and strategic airlift with the Air Mobility Command and United States Transportation Command.