FIRST Choice FAQ

  • Where is my FIRST Choice password?
        From the "My FRC Dashboard" page of the TIMS account, click on the 'Edit' button under 'Teams I Can Administer'. On the right side of the page you will see: FIRST Choice Team Password: XXXXXXXX


  • Is there an overview of how this FIRST Choice ordering system works?
        "How To" Video here


  • Does it have to be the same person ordering FIRST Choice parts like the 2011 Season?
        No, infact, anyone with the password found in TIMS can order parts for your team


  • Can I call in my order, or send an e-mail or fax for FIRST Choice parts?
        No, you must have someone place the order for FIRST Choice parts online. This is the only fair way to distribute the parts. You can use the Purchase Order option for purchasing in order to reserve your parts right away, if you don't have your PO number yet, just enter "OnItsWay" in the PO number field when ordering.


  • Can I order FIRST Choice parts for multiple teams?
        Yes, BUT, you'll have to make an order for each team. Then after each order, go back to the FIRST Choice ordering page and 'login' to your next team to make another order. Our system cannot handle multiple teams on one order. If you would like all of these items to be shipped to the same location, please e-mail sales@andymark.com and we can combine shipping on multiple orders.


  • What do I do if I have website issues?
        Send an e-mail ASAP to firstchoice@andymark.com with a phone number we can contact you if needed, and we will help you resolve your issues right away.


  • Where do I go for more help?
        Check the FIRST forum for more answers.


  • When can I order parts?
        At 12:01a.m., EST, Monday, January 9th you will be able to place an order. The site will be open until April 30, 2012.


  • How do I log-in to FIRST Choice?
        Your team's main and alternate contacts will have access to your team's FIRST Choice password on January 7th sometime during kickoff. It will be found in your team's TIMS account. Although you will have your password on January 7th, you will not find your team number available as a selection in the FIRST Choice Ordering Section until 12:01am EST January 9th, 2012. Anyone wanting to place a FIRST Choice order for your team can do so, but they must obtain your team's unique password to the FIRST Choice ordering application.


  • My team's contacts have changed and I don't know the password. How do I get my team's password?
        Contact frcteams@usfirst.org or call FIRST Operations at 1-800-US1-TEAM to get help retrieving your password.


  • What is a FIRST Credit and how many do I get?
        A FIRST Credit is a made up value based on the number of teams, and quantity of parts available. The number of FIRST Credits available to all teams and the FIRST Credit value of each item might be revealed during kickoff, or you may just have to wait until you login for the first time. Each team will get the same number of FIRST Credits. But if you watch the video closely, you'll see the point value of parts, and I'll give you a hint, you get 100 Credits to start!


  • What happens if a part is out of stock when I try to place my order?
        When logging into the FIRST Choice Ordering section of the AndyMark webpage, the number of items still in stock at the moment the webpage loads is shown for each part. If there are no more available at this time it will show in Red and be the value of '0'. Since many teams are placing their orders at the same time, someone else might have reserved the last part while you are still checking out. In this case, the item will automatically be removed from your cart so be sure to place your order quickly, and double check your order after it has been placed. The good news is that you will still be able to log in again and order something else! Once a FIRST Choice item is out of stock, it will be out of stock for the remainder of the FIRST Choice ordering period. We will be getting no more of any of these parts in stock.


  • What is the warranty of FIRST Choice parts?
        As these parts are all donated to FIRST from various companies, there is no warranty on any of these items.


  • Can I purchase a FIRST Choice part if I use all my FIRST Credits?
        As these parts are all donated to FIRST, there is no option of purchasing the 'fc12-xx' part. However, if you can find it on the internet for purchase, please feel free to get as many as you like.


  • Can I order FIRST Choice parts for multiple teams?
        Yes, BUT, you'll have to make an order for each team. After each order, return to the FIRST Choice ordering page and 'login' to your next team to make another order. Our system cannot handle multiple teams on one order. If you would like all of these items to be shipped to the same location, please e-mail sales@andymark.com and we will make an effort to combine shipping, depending on where the orders are in the packing queue.


  • What if I have website issues?
        Send an e-mail ASAP to firstchoice@andymark.com with a phone number we can contact, if needed. We will help you resolve your issues right away!


  • Can I order AndyMark parts with my FIRST Choice order?
        Of course! Before checking out you can add as many AndyMark parts as you want to your shopping cart. This will save you on shipping costs!