An embodiment of a system for operating a communications controller for a group of user equipments engaged in a DMC link in a wireless communications system is provided. The communications controller is configured to allocate a set of subframes in one periodic group of subframes to the group of UEs for the DMC link, signal the set of allocated subframes to the group of UEs, and transmit parameters related to a group of HARQ processes of the DMC link. In an embodiment, the communication controller uses HARQ processes for cellular UE transmission that are determined independently from HARQ processes of the group of HARQ processes for the DMC link, and the parameters are configured to enable the group of UEs to manage the group of HARQ processes for the DMC link.