A replacement-cost estimate can help the business make its own decision, but it is not a substitute for specialized-knowledge evidence and is not a universal labour-market test. Budget the petition work around the actual eligibility questions, including employment history, the corporate link and the proposed assignment.
Keep commercial comparisons in their proper role
If training another employee would take substantial time, document the factual basis when relevant rather than presenting a large estimate as legal proof. Ask the adviser which project records are useful and what translation or evaluation is needed. Keep operational training costs distinct from filing charges and family expenses.
Recent USCIS fee rules provide small-employer rates for petitioners with 25 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees on parts of the I-129 fee structure, so the creamery should confirm its category and the current charges on the G-1055 schedule. On the government side there is no difference between L-1A and L-1B: the petition fee, the fraud fee, the asylum program fee where the employer's size makes it applicable, and premium processing if chosen, all on USCIS Form G-1055 and all payable by the employer. Clarify whether a legal fee covers reviewing confidential material, an offsite-placement analysis, or later government questions, and confirm current fees for the specific filing.