Sample code -- Mac OS X Authorization Services

AuthorizationRef auth = NULL;
OSStatus err;
err = AuthorizationCreate(NULL,
            NULL,
            kAuthorizationFlagExtendRights|kAuthorizationFlagInteractionAllowed,
            &auth);
if( err != errAuthorizationSuccess ) {
    fprintf(stderr, "oops: %ld\n", (long int)err);
    exit(-1);
}
char *opts[] = { "some", "parameters", "to", "pm", NULL };
err = AuthorizationExecuteWithPrivileges(
    auth,
    "/usr/bin/pmset",
    kAuthorizationFlagDefaults,
    opts,
    NULL);
AuthorizationFree(auth, kAuthorizationFlagDefaults);
if( err != errAuthorizationSuccess ) {
    fprintf(stderr, "oops: %ld\n", (long int)err);
    exit(-1);
}