FIRST's Bag and Tag policies...

[Tristan Lall]

Let me quickly address the issue with Canadian customs: basically, you've got a legal obligation to submit your possessions to search. So if they instruct you to open it, I would suggest you do so. (Nothing FIRST says can override what you're required to do under penalty of law.) Then, when the customs agent is satisfied, seal it again, with a new numbered zip tie.

Log both the opening and closing of the bag on your lockup form, and specify "Canada customs" as the reason. That's the critical step—but if you want to be meticulous about it, consider asking the customs agent for a receipt, and providing that to the robot inspector. (Another good practice is to carry a letter from your school explaining the purpose of the robot, and noting that the robot and all your tools will be used in Canada during the competition and promptly returned to the U.S.. This tells the customs agent that there are no importation duties due.)

Provided that the team properly attests that it followed all the rules (via appropriate signatures on the lockup form), having to open the bag for customs won't cause a problem at the events. (Yes, the manual should probably have explained this, but doesn't; if you're still concerned and need a statement from FIRST, feel free to ask the Q&A when it opens.)

[Al Skierkiewicz]

I agree with Tristan on this and suggest that in the event customs asks you to break the seal, ask if the agent will sign YOUR Bar and Tag document with the new seal already documented. If nothing else, it will provide an interesting object for the team.
A reminder to any team participating in one B&T and one traditional event. Please be sure to read, understand and implement all the rules involving robot handling and shipment. Make one person responsible for the documents so that they don't get lost.
TSOM, they are many reasons that come into play for the decisions that are made for each event that are not apparent. Don't let something little like the lack of a B&T event across the street keep you from enjoying the competition.

[Roger]

Originally Posted by Tsom467

We also heard the Brazil team, whose first event is the bag-and-tag Boston event (I believe) have to bring their robot with them, instead of shipping it.

According to this, Boston isn't a Bag & Tag; according to this, Brazil isn't coming here either. Maybe you're thinking of BAE Manchester NH instead?

But I didn't come here to say that. Before I checked the above I was thinking the Brazil team could ship the robot to me, as my office (and garage space) is directly across the street from BU's Agannis Arena where it's held, and they just have to roll it across Comm Ave. But it's a moot point now.

Regarding the OP: there are going to be some silly contradictions all over with this. My team has to lug our robot to Finger Lakes and back, then ship it to Boston (roughly 20 miles).

After Kickoff when the FIRST Q&A website opens is when to ask the questions. Boston is probably not B&T (I'm guessing) because of union rules, a small loading dock area, and/or a low height underground parking. Why WPI isn't, I don't know; maybe they saw how Battlecry did it they wanted a more smooth operation. It does get rather hectic in that driveway. Plus the chance of snow messing things up too?

[Jeff Pahl]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

A reminder to any team participating in one B&T and one traditional event. Please be sure to read, understand and implement all the rules involving robot handling and shipment. Make one person responsible for the documents so that they don't get lost.

I gave a short presentation about B&T at the MN Splash Seminar event in Dec, including some things to be aware of if you are attending one of each type of event. We have both traditional and B&T events here in MN this year so we have several teams attending both types. The presentation can be found here.

[quinxorin]

Michigan is so much simpler. We're entirely bag-and-tag (we actually started it a year earlier than everyone else) and we're basically closed off from the rest of the world, no other teams are allowed to compete in a Michigan competition anymore. Makes the whole process much simpler. Then again, whenever FIRST decides to change a policy (such as instituting Bag and Tag), they always do it in Michigan first, which has turned out badly on occasion.

[Don Wright]

Also remember, that there are thousands of teams competing...times multiple events in many cases... FIRST is trying to make a policy that will generally work out for a high majority of the cases.

The handful, or 10-20-30...even 50 cases where the standard policy really doesn't seem to make sense or fit are really the minority (like the one the OP made). I know to you it seems obvious and silly, but FIRST has to take into account all the teams at all the competitions.

If the standard shipping/B&T policy fits OK to >95% of the cases during the season, I think it's a darn good job.