1. An apparatus for determining assignments to attributes of components within a system, said attributes having variables indicative of assignments to said attributes, comprising: a first constraint data structure for determining a preferential set of assignments to a first variable, said first variable being indicative of an assignment to a first attribute of a first component, said first constraint data structure having first preferential rules for determining preferential assignments to said first variable; and a first computer module connected to said first constraint data structure for determining bid data based upon said first preferential rules, said bid data containing price data associated with a first preferential set of assignments to said first variable; whereby said first variable is assigned a value based upon said bid data.