(a) The board shall, no later than January 1, 2003, issue a request or requests for proposals for statewide addressing and mapping. The request for proposal must include requirements that each map, compilation or other work created as a result of the statewide addressing and mapping intended to be accomplished by this article must be a "work made for hire" within the meaning of the copyright laws of the United States, 17 U.S.C. §101, et seq., and that all right, title and interest to each map, compilation or other work must vest in the board. The request or requests for proposal may include any standards or requirements the board finds necessary or proper, including, without limitation, compliance with any applicable emergency or legislative rules. The board shall select a qualified vendor or vendors in accordance with the applicable provisions of article three, chapter five-a of this code. Disbursements from the West Virginia statewide addressing and mapping fund established by section five of this article are specifically authorized in order to pay the selected vendor or vendors.

(b) The board may also consider applications of public agencies, including, without limitation, county commissions and municipalities, to participate in the statewide addressing and mapping to be accomplished by this article. Disbursements from the West Virginia statewide addressing and mapping fund are specifically authorized in order to reimburse such public agencies, in whole or in part, for the costs incurred by them in participating in the addressing and mapping to be accomplished by this article in the amount, if any, determined by the board.

(c) No later than January 1, 2003, the board shall propose legislative rules to accomplish the purposes of this section in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. The rules may require public agencies that apply for reimbursement under this section, but that are exempt from statewide standards under section six of this article, to comply with acceptable standards to be specified in those rules as a condition of receiving reimbursement. The standards, however, are not necessarily required to be the statewide standards to be proposed by the board in legislative rules under said section. Emergency rules are specifically authorized for the purposes of this section.