We got the paperwork Fri afternoon (week 4). They wanted the robot shipped by Sunday.

The manual says Thursday after your last event. Where you are and when your last event is can make a big difference. Slow LTL from Atlanta to St Louis is 3-4 days. It can be a lot longer in other parts of the states or the rest of the world.
I can see keeping the bag requirement even if every one knows it won't be checked. It keeps honest finger honest & kills the temptation to dump code, measure something, etc. Even if teams as a group are honest, there is always one individual...