DICE (DIstributed Constraint Environment) is a framework for the construction of distributed constraint solvers from software components in a number of predefined categories. The framework is implemented using the Manifold coordination language, and delivers coordination services to these components. The coordination services implement existing protocols for constraint propagation, termination detection and splitting of constraint satisfaction problems. DICE combines these protocols with support for parallel search and the grouping of closely related components into cooperating solvers. In addition to these facilities, the paper describes the DICE framework architecture, and gives a report on its implementation. Categories and Subject Descriptors