A method for configuring a first base station within a cluster in a communications system having a plurality of cluster includes optimizing an operating parameter of the first base station in accordance with first utility function results from a first utility function associated with the first base station and second utility function results from a second utility function associated with a second base station within the cluster, the first utility function results and the second utility function results according to multiple settings for the operating parameter of the first base station, a first initialized setting of the operating parameter for the second base station, and a second initialized setting of the operating parameter for an external base station outside the cluster. The method also includes sharing the optimized operating parameter with the external base station.