This is the hardest thing to actually do in lower-level ENG work. Producers are often inexperienced and rushed, so anything that keeps them on the phone a second longer than “necessary” is a hassle. They love all-in numbers because that’s how they budget on their end, regardless of whether it’s a reasonable rate for the service. They type in an overall budget and their spreadsheet software auto-calculates what each department’s budget is. In these phone calls/emails I tend to feel like I’m riding a fine line between negotiating and educating on how it actually works, with varying degrees of success. Regardless, I appreciate the points made here about why it matters so much, and to always get it in writing!