Procedures

These are the procedures that the Kit Logistics Coordinator follows to perform their Kit Shipping responsibilities. No one else is expected to follow these procedures, they are for internal documentation only.

Shipping kits to Kickstarts

To provide sufficient time for problems/delays, kits should be shipped to Kickstart locations no later than 1 week before Kickstart. Shipping the kits many weeks in advance may not be possible due to limited storage requirements at some Kickstart locations.

First ensure that the Kickstart Event Coordinator is aware of the paperwork requirements (handout forms and disclaimers). Request the following information from the Kickstart Event Coordinator:

  • Name of Local Kickstart Event Coordinator
  • Email address of Local Kickstart Event Coordinator
  • Number of teams attending
  • Name of person able to receive the kit (if not the Local Kickstart Event Coordinator)
  • Email address of person able to receive the kit (if not the Local Kickstart Event Coordinator)
  • Phone number of person able to receive the kit
  • Address to ship the kit to

For each Kickstart:

  1. Ensure that the Local Kickstart Event Coordinator, or the person that they are delegating kit management to, has received the necessary training (to be defined).
  2. Identify the kits to be shipped in the Inventory and move them into an appropriate in-transit sub directory (e.g. in-transit/to-oxford-ks).
  3. Instruct UK Postbox to forward the correct items to the recipient.
  4. Once UK Postbox have forwarded on the kits, email the LKEC and the recipient (if not the LKEC) with the tracking number/link and a list of kit asset numbers shipped to them. Ask them to report back when they have received the shipment and doubled checked that they have the expected kits.
  5. Once the kits have been delivered, move them in the Inventory to an appropriate sub directory (e.g. kickstart-venues/oxford).
  6. Email details of what kits are where to the Kickstart Event Coordinator so that they can prepare handout forms for each of the Local Kickstart Event Coordinators.

After Kickstart, request scanned copies of the handout form and disclaimers from all of the Kickstarts from the Kickstart Event Coordinator (who will then request them from the Local Kickstart Coordinators). Move each kit into an appropriate sub directory in the Inventory based upon which team it was given to (e.g. move a kit to teams/2017/srz).

Shipping kits to teams that didn't attend a Kickstart

The operations manual currently requires that the Kit Logistics Coordinator ensures that kits are available to be collected by a courier no later than 2 week after Kickstart.

Begin by requesting the following information from the Team Coordinator for the teams that didn't attend a Kickstart and ask them to confirm that the details are correct via the appropriate local teams coordinator:

  • Name of local teams coordinator
  • Email of local teams coordinator (so that any further queries and an email containing a tracking link doesn't have to go via the Team Coordinator)
  • Name of recipient
  • Email of recipient
  • Phone number of recipient (ideally a mobile number as that's what couriers prefer)
  • Address including:
    • School name
    • Number (if applicable)
    • Street
    • Town/City
    • County
    • Postcode

For each team that needs a kit:

  1. Identify the kit to be shipped in the Inventory and move it to an appropriate in-transit sub directory (e.g. in-transit/to-srz).
  2. Once the details have been confirmed, instruct UK Postbox to forward the correct item to the team.
  3. Once UK Postbox have forwarded on the kit, email the local teams coordinator with the tracking number/link so that they can pass it onto the team. Get them to ask the team to inform them when the kit has been delivered.
  4. Once the kit has been delivered, move the kit in the Inventory to the appropriate team sub directory (e.g. teams/2017/srz).

Managing kits not collected at Kickstart

Some teams may not turn up at Kickstart, therefore leaving their kit uncollected. This kit needs to either be stored safely by someone nearby or returned to UK Postbox. The kit will most likely make its way to a team (either the originally intended recipient or otherwise) in the week or two after Kickstart.

If a responsible person in attendance at the Kickstart event (for example the Local Kickstart Coordinator) is willing to store the kit for a week or two, and is able to make it available for courier collection, then this is preferable.

If it is not possible to store the kit locally, it must be returned to UK Postbox ASAP. A Return Shipping Pack must be used to package the kit for return. Someone (possibly the venue) will need to make the kit available for courier collection in the day or two following Kickstart.

Reallocating kits from drop-outs

We need to ship kits from one team to another when a team drops out. TBD.

Shipping spares/replacements

When parts of the kit break teams need replacements. The Kit Logistics Coordinator needs to ship these spares/replacements to teams when instructed to do so by the Kit Support Coordinator.

Begin by requesting the following information from the Team Coordinator for the team that needs replacement parts shipping to them and ask them to confirm that the details are correct via the appropriate local teams coordinator:

  • Name of local teams coordinator
  • Email of local teams coordinator (so that any further queries and an email containing a tracking link doesn't have to go via the Team Coordinator)
  • Name of recipient
  • Email of recipient
  • Phone number of recipient (ideally a mobile number as that's what couriers prefer)

  • Address including:

    • School name
    • Number (if applicable)
    • Street
    • Town/City
    • County
    • Postcode

  • Identify the replacement parts to be shipped in the Inventory (as defined by the Kit Support Coordinator) and move them to an appropriate in-transit sub directory (e.g. in-transit/to-srz).

  • Package the parts into a cardboard box, using Jiffy bags, bubble-wrap or similar to protect the parts.

  • Once the details have been confirmed, arrange for the package to be collected from yourself and delivered to the team.

  • Once you have the tracking number from the courier, email the local teams coordinator with the tracking number/link so that they can pass it onto the team. Get them to ask the team to inform them when the kit has been delivered.

  • Once the kit has been delivered, move the kit in the Inventory to the appropriate team sub directory (e.g. teams/2017/srz).

Shipping kits to storage at the end of the competition

At the end of the competition we have the majority of the kits returned to us. The Competition Team Coordinator is responsible for managing the return process. The Kit Logistics Coordinator can aid in this process and is responsible for shipping the kits to storage after they have been returned. TBD.

Shipping of non-team kits and development tools to volunteers

Non-team kits (those that are classed as development, support, PR or local) and development tools need to be shipped around as deemed appropriate by the person responsible for their allocation. That being the Kit Coordinator for development kits and tools, the Kit Support Coordinator for support kits, the PR coordinator for PR kits and the Team Coordinator for local kits. TBD.

Shipping of non-kit assets

Most assets are kit related. However, a few assets are not kits or parts thereof. This is mostly competition hardware such as arena walls. The Kit Logistics Coordinator is also responsible for shipping these non-kit assets when required. TBD.

Attribution

This page is based on work done by Richard Barlow, originally published at https://srobo-legacy.gitbooks.io/student-robotics-kit-logistics/kit-transport/procedures.html, which was under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.