This document is the first of a series of ICS (Interoperability Conformance Specification) documents. Each ICS defines a set of Conformance Requirements that a conforming JDF-enabled Product must meet in order to achieve interoperability with other conforming JDF-enabled Products. This document, the Base ICS, defines the Conformance Requirements that are common to all other ICSs. This document specifies three Conformance Levels of Conformance Requirements. These levels mainly differ in the method of providing / accessing Referenced Files between the Manager and the Worker and include the Conformance Requirements for Hot Folders, string Attributes, and specific JDF Elements.