This paper contributes to the theory of designing distributed allocation models in that (i) authors propose a model for preference elicitation, which allows users and providers to assess their valuations as a function of their resource requirements and strategic considerations, (ii) they show how this model can be encoded within so-called bidding agents which interact with the market on behalf of the user, and (iii) authors evaluate their approach in a numerical experiment to illustrate how the bidding agent adapts to the dynamic market situation. As this evaluation shows, the model out performs technical schedulers and can thus be used for decision support in electronic markets.