System and method to facilitate and support electronic communication of request for proposals

A method for using a computer to facilitate and control access to a two-level information database created by inputs supplied by posting users, comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving and storing in the database, a plurality of two-part descriptions each supplied by a user, each two-part description including a first-level element in the form of a basic description of each user's unmet need or unsolved problem, and a second-level element in the form of a detailed description of each user's unmet need or unsolved problem;
• (b) by a computer, permitting originators to access and select without restriction only the first-level elements of the stored two-part descriptions;
• (c) providing selecting originators with an option to access the second-level elements of the stored two-part descriptions that correspond to the selected first-level elements by agreeing to a license agreement specifying the terms of use for at least the second-level element;
• (d) providing license accepting originators with access to the second-level elements of the stored two-part description corresponding to the selected first-level elements;
• (e) permitting non-license-accepting originators to search the contents of the first-level and second-level elements of the two-part descriptions but disallowing visual access to the second-level elements;
• and
• (f) as a result of a search of the two-part descriptions by a non-license-accepting originator, sending the first-level element of the two-part descriptions.