1. A system for allocating resources in a distributed computational system comprising: a plurality of user agent programs, each adapted to place a bid on behalf of a user for computational resources based on a preference for a desired set of the computational resources; an auctioneer program adapted to receive the bid from each of the plurality of user agent programs and to determine entitlement to the computational resources based on an evaluation of the bids; and a bank program adapted to manage records relating to a currency corresponding to each of the user agent programs and to the facilitate transfer of the currency based on an outcome of the evaluation of the bids.