Bring the messy version
You don't need a spec, a budget line, or the right vocabulary. Tell me what your team does by hand and where it hurts. The honest version converts to an architecture faster than the polished one.
The 20-minute architecture call
Free, no pitch. You walk in with the problem; you leave with how I'd approach it: tools, rough shape, honest effort estimate. If I'm not the right person, I'll say so on the call.