Smith: the Contract Net Protocol for distributed problem solving

What changed

Distributed nodes could negotiate task allocation through a reusable protocol pattern.

Scientific scope

Exact sole-author IEEE paper; earlier bidding, FIPA and modern market systems separate.

Evidence

The linked sources identify this contribution and its scope. WRS has not independently reconstructed the scientific claims. The record is the exact 1980 IEEE Transactions on Computers paper. Earlier bidding schemes, later distributed-AI frameworks, FIPA specifications and modern market mechanisms remain separate.

Contributors

• Reid G. Smith · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.

• Smith, The Contract Net Protocol
• Crossref record for Contract Net Protocol

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

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