The present invention provides fluid, depleting chips for allocating computational resources for obtaining desired service level characteristics, wherein fluid chips deplete from a maximum allocated amount but may, in an optional implementation, be allowed to be replenished through the purchase of additional chips. A number of chips are assigned to the requestor/party, known as the business unit (BU), which could be a department, or group providing like-functionality services. In one implementation, the chips themselves could represent base monetary units integrated over time.