I know that your Q was addressed for Bryan, but I couldn’t help 
- OEMs send their phones to reviewers no longer than weeks prior to official release. That device has 100% completed & polished hardware and software is around 99% , with a very few things to be ironed out (usually camera app,etc)
Aspen batch (as described by Purism) would match proto-prototype by today’s standards in smartphone industry.
Absolutely no reason, to have it sent to any of these folks.