The state Economic Development Department on Friday issued a request for proposal seeking a nonprofit organization that could make use of a $200,000 appropriation to market the state's hydrogen assets and attract businesses engaged in hydrogen research.

The contractor will have to establish a public-private partnership between federally funded research and development centers, universities, economic development organizations, government agencies and the state's tiny cadre of private hydrogen-related businesses.

They will also be responsible for helping the state draw up and adopt a set of codes and standards for the operation and use of fuel cells, and promote demonstration projects.

Applications are due July 19 and are limited to nonprofit organizations.

"A lot of it is just going to be focused on planning," said Jason Wexler, a program specialist in the department's Office of Science and Technology.

The $200,000 comes from House Bill 251, the Advanced Technologies Economic Development Act, which was aimed at attracting hydrogen fuel-related companies to the state. The same bill also created a $500,000 fund to make grants to state agencies, schools, pueblos and other organizations that want to develop clean energy programs.

The Economic Development Department, and the chosen contractor, will work with an ad hoc group, HyTeP, or Hydrogen Technology Partnership, a year-old industry-promoting partnership of researchers, companies and government officials; as well as the Hydrogen Business Council, a group of businesses from New Mexico and other states that support HyTeP's mission.

The state began its efforts to attract hydrogen industry last year after President Bush proposed a $1.7 billion initiative to fund research into what some say could be a "clean" alternative to burning fossil fuels.

New Mexico isn't alone in its interest in promoting such industry. At least 24 other states are doing the same thing, several, among them California and Ohio, to the tune of more than $50 million.

The department is looking for a group similar to the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which is paid $300,000 annually to run various business programs statewide.

"We need an agency that can accept the funds and do something with them," said Office of Science and Technology director Mike Orshan.