Larry Roberts, project manager for the ARPANET project, calls for tenders among several companies to build the IMPs (Interface Message Processors, now called Routers). They must manage the packet switching technology developed by Paul Baran for military robustness against a Soviet thermonuclear attack. They must also incorporate the standardization ideas of Wes Clark, the visionary ideas of Licklider, and the contributions of many others. Over 140 companies receive the tender. Among the leading bidders is Raytheon, but Roberts chooses BBN (Bolt, Beranek, and Newman – later acquired by Raytheon in 2009).
