FIRST Robotics Competition Blog

Great (Kickoff Kit) Expectations

In addition to finding out FIRST POWER UP details on Saturday, each team attending a local Kickoff will also leave with this year’s Kickoff Kit items. We’re giving a deliberately vague “heads up” with to what kind of sizes, weights to expect so you can make accommodations to get the goods back to your build space. This information is also now published in the “Kickoff Kit” section of the Kit of Parts page.

• Every team will receive a Black Tote (~12 in. x 27 in. x 17 in., ~34 lbs.) and a set of separate items of assorted shapes and sizes, collectively ~30 lbs. with no one item weighing more than ~14 lbs. Separate items would fit in a backpack if it weren’t for a few long (48 in.), narrow pieces.
• New (“rookie”) teams will also receive a Gray Tote (~12 in. x 27 in. x 17 in., ~34 lbs.) and a set of separate items of assorted shapes and sizes, collectively ~15 lbs. with no one item weighing more than ~14 lbs, and would all fit in a backpack.
• Teams that did not opt out will also receive a Drive Base Kit (~7 in. x 7 in. x 33 in., ~28 lbs.)
• Non-US teams that opted for the extra set of game pieces will get those too, but we’re keeping those sizes/weights under wraps (no need to rent a flatbed trailer though).

Uh Oh.

We strongly recommend that one of the first things you do after Kickoff is to inventory your Kickoff Kit. If anything is missing or damaged 1) we’re so sorry! and 2) you need to let us know.

The process we’ll be using to get information from you has changed for 2018. This year, it’s built in to the registration system and available from noon (Eastern) on 1/6 to noon (Eastern) on 1/12.

Please know and understand that we will not process requests that don’t use this system for teams who received their Kickoff Kits on or before 1/10/18. (If you’re a “MySite” team who received your kit after 1/10, please email frcparts@firstinspires.org within 2 business days of receipt of your Kickoff Kit with any missing/damaged items.) 

To report anything missing or damaged:

• Your Lead Coach/Mentor 1 or 2 logs in to your team’s account.
• Click on the “Payments and Product” drop down menu and select “Order Replacement Parts”

• Enter the shipping information for where you’d like this package to be sent.
• Use the “Subkit Container” filter to navigate to the parts you need to report.
• Click the “Add” button for the item that’s missing/damaged.
• Specify the quantity missing/damaged, include an explanation, and click “Save.”  The list will auto save when you add an item, so you can come back to it later.
• Once your list is complete, hit “Submit Request.” You can only submit once, and you must Submit before noon (Eastern), 1/12 for your request to be processed.

FIRST Choice: Round 2

But wait, there’s more!

I want to remind you that FIRST Choice closes tomorrow and reopens for Round 2 of Priority List orders from 1/6 to 1/12 (noon Eastern). We’ll be employing the same Priority List Process used in Round 1, and issuing 200 additional credits to each team’s account. Any unused credits from Round 1 are carried over. Details on all this were originally released in a November blog and in the FIRST Choice section of the Kit of Parts page.

Virtual Kit – New Items Coming!

But wait, there’s more!

Additional Virtual Kit items will be posted to the Virtual Kit section of the Kit of Parts page (with any corresponding voucher codes posted to teams’ registration accounts) at noon on Saturday. Don’t forget to check them out too.

Good luck this season, make good decisions, have fun, be kind, and peace!

Kate