[EricH]

Originally Posted by squirrel

also if that 4x8 sheet costs more than $400 then you probably cannot use the material.

Read the rules carefully!

...Including the ones about all teams being able to obtain the material.

From the definition of VENDOR in Section 8:

VENDOR – A legitimate business source for COTS items that, as a minimum, satisfies the following criteria:
[snip]
• The VENDOR makes their products available to all FIRST Robotics Competition teams.
• VENDORS must not limit supply or make a product available to just a limited number of FIRST Robotics Competition teams.

And <R35>:

<R35> COTS ITEMS that are generally available may be used on the ROBOT. The parts shall be generally available from suppliers such that any other FIRST team, if it so desires, may also obtain them at the same price. A specific device fabricated by a team from non-2008 Kit Of Parts materials for their use does not have to be available to others; however, the materials it is made from must be available to other teams.