Request for Proposal SCI Adopt: Rapid
Clinical Implementation of Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation at Canadian clinics providing rehabilitation services

August 11, 2026 – March 13, 2027

Download the full RFP

General Information:

  1. Purpose. This request for proposal (RFP) is for services provided to Praxis Spinal Cord Institute (“Praxis”) for SCI Adopt: Rapid TSS Clinical Implementation supporting early implementation of transcutaneous spinal stimulation (TSS) technologies in Canadian rehabilitation settings. The purpose of the project is to introduce TSS in a real-world operational setting for clients/individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) as part of an ethics approved research study.

    Praxis will support the selected clinical site(s) with advice and training through its staff and a TSS Clinical Advisor (separately funded by Praxis to provide advice on approach for TSS implementation for clients/individuals with SCI receiving treatment). Praxis will also support by providing open science clinical education/training toolkit alongside implementation guides for TSS treatment application.

  2. Who May Respond. Canadian clinical settings that provide rehabilitation services and employ professionals certified by the relevant regulatory college of physicians, physiotherapists, or occupational therapists seeking to integrate TSS into their current SCI rehabilitation practice.

    Praxis encourages proposals from under-represented groups including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people who are part of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, religious minority groups and racialized people, neurodiverse individuals, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of perspectives.

  3. Instructions on Proposal Submission

    • Closing Submission Date. Proposals must be submitted no later than July 5, 2026, at11:59 pm PT.

    • Inquiries. Direct all inquiries regarding this RFP to: Andrew Forshner, Associate Director, Innovation: aforshner@praxisinstitute.org.

    • Submission. Submit all proposals to aforshner@praxisinstitute.org and cc: contracts@praxisinstitute.org. The Offeror is responsible for ensuring that Praxis receives the proposal by the date and time specified above. Late proposals will not be considered.

    • Conditions of Proposal. All costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal responding to this RFP will be the responsibility of the Offeror and will not be reimbursed by Praxis.

    • Reservation of Rights. Praxis reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject proposals, to cancel or reissue this RFP, or to delay the evaluation and award process. Praxis further reserves the right to defer or decline to make any award until sufficient funding for the project has been secured and confirmed, or if a suitable TSS Clinical Advisor cannot be identified to support the clinical site.

    • Notification of Selection. Praxis expects to select the successful Offeror(s) within 30 days of the application deadline. Interviews are anticipated to occur in early August 2026. An agreement for the accepted proposal will be drafted based on the terms outlined in this RFP and Praxis’ funder requirements. Upon conclusion of final negotiations with the successful proposal(s), all Offerors submitting proposals in response to this RFP will be informed, in writing, of the decision by August 5, 2026 or earlier.

    • Term of Engagement. The term of this engagement will be from August 11, 2026 through March 13, 2027 and will be subject to milestone reviews. Offerors must be available for weekly calls during the study design phase, followed by bi-weekly calls during the remainder of the term to provide updates on activities (e.g. impact, progress, and milestone reports). Selected services and/or deliverable provider(s) must agree to terms aligned with Praxis’ funder requirements. Fees for services may range from $10,000 to $30,000 CAD and must be clearly mapped to milestones and timelines within the engagement period.

Description of Our Organization

Praxis is a not-for-profit organization that leads global collaboration in SCI research, innovation and care. We accelerate the translation of discoveries and best practices into improved treatments for individuals with SCI. Our vision is a world without paralysis after SCI.

From our home in Vancouver, Canada we facilitate an international network of individuals with SCI and world-class experts who work together to identify, prioritize, and solve the most urgent challenges. To achieve this, we take a multi-disciplinary, adaptable approach to maximize our impact. This enables us to move the most promising ideas out of the laboratory, into both standards of care for individuals with SCI. We also work to get innovative technologies from idea to development and finally available to improve the lives of those living with SCI. See Praxis website for more info.

Scope of Services

  • The Offeror shall be responsible and available to perform the following services, as requested by Praxis:

    • Generate evidence to assess the effect of implementing TSS into clinical and/or community rehabilitation care for clients/individuals with SCI.
      • Generate learnings on implementation of TSS in a real-world clinical environment in Canada including insights on implementation, training, process, treatment plans and reimbursement coverage.

    The maximum value of this engagement is $30,000 CAD. Note: any approved external costs (e.g., travel, printing, or specialized software) must be pre-approved by Praxis and managed in accordance with Praxis’ applicable policies.

    The Offeror shall be prepared to submit detailed billing statements for any services billed at an hourly rate, itemized in increments of no more than 15 minutes (0.25 hours). The Offeror shall also include a brief summary of work performed and time spent aligned with the services performed, as described below:

    Key Deliverables/MilestonesTimeline
    Kick-off with Praxis –review Praxis supported TSS Clinical Guidance document, draft TSS training toolkit; confirm project scope with Praxis, timelines, health outcome measures and study co-design workplan; introduction to TSS Clinical Advisor.Aug 11-18 2026
    Project Planning – refine scope of the proposed project (5-10 individuals, data collection & reporting, treatment frequency) based on capacity & best practices; co-design study for IRB submission, support development of TSS educational materials & training toolkit; weekly meetings with Praxis team & TSS Clinical Advisor.
    Target IRB submission date of Sept 10, 2026. Note, an independent private IRB service with shorter timelines for approval may be utilized to review a complete submission if possible.    		Aug – Sept 2026
    Delivery of TSS clinician training at site – dissemination of clinical education & training toolkit; training sessions (in-person/virtual) with TSS Clinical Advisor, and integration of TSS technology into clinical site’s current practice of SCI rehabilitation.Sept – Oct 2026
    Delivery of TSS treatment – consent processes, pre & post intervention assessments (e.g. measure function, client/staff self-assessments etc.); delivery TSS clients/individuals living with SCI based on training toolkit developed by TSS Clinical Advisor; weekly or bi-weekly (every 2 weeks) check-in meetings with Praxis team & TSS Clinical Advisor (as needed). Praxis team and Advisor will be available more frequently for queries depending on site requirements/needs.Oct 2026 – Mar 2027
    Submission of anonymized aggregated clinical data and client testimonials – provided to Praxis to inform a budget impact assessment (i.e., an analysis of the costs and resource implications of implementing TSS); conduct and submit summary of evaluation and lessons learned to Praxis. Feedback on revising open science training toolkit and TSS Clinical Guidance Document. Testimonials provided from specifically consented clients and clinical staff. The Offeror is responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable privacy laws.Mar 13, 2027

    Proposal Contents

    The Offeror shall, at a minimum, include the following in a proposal of no more than five pages:

    1. Experience: The Offeror describes relevant experience as a clinical site implementing novel medical technologies with experience working with individuals with SCI. The Offeror must have a clinician overseeing the project to ensure the safety of all individuals involved in the project. The clinician must hold and maintain active registration in good standing with the applicable regulatory college for their clinical designation.

    2. Proposed Approach to Scope of Work: The Offeror should describe how they will deliver the scope of work, including (as applicable) their instructional design approach, methods for integrating TSStechnology into SCI rehabilitation programs at the clinical site, plans for receiving training from a TSS Clinical Advisor (a Praxis-funded consultant) to support internal staff training; and their approach to delivering TSS treatment for selected SCI clients.

    3. Project Plan: The Offeror must outline a detailed project plan outlining how they will support the clinical implementation of TSS technology, including the roles and responsibilities of all key contributors for each activity and how the work will be managed. The plan should demonstrate how the TSS technology will be implemented in a real-world setting and how this work will contribute to accelerating access to the technology for Canadians. The plan must include:

      i. Clinical Implementation Plan describing intended plan of activities for real-world implementation of TSS into the clinical site’s current SCI rehabilitation care protocols, mapped to a timeline, that outlines
      • Identification and recruitment of clients; study design (for generating evidence to specific clinical targets), IRB approval, staff training, data collection and evaluation.


    4. Approach to utilizing Praxis team and the TSS Clinical Advisor to develop and support the delivery of the clinical implementation plan.
    5. An oversight and coordination structure.
    6. An explanation of how the generated evidence and project work could increase use of TSS in Canada.
    • Identification and recruitment of clients; study design (for generating evidence to specific clinical targets), IRB approval, staff training, data collection and evaluation.
    • Approach to utilizing Praxis team and the TSS Clinical Advisor to develop and support the delivery of the clinical implementation plan.
    • An oversight and coordination structure.
    • An explanation of how the generated evidence and project work could increase use of TSS in Canada.
  • ii. Project Deliverables: draft project deliverables outlining activities clearly mapped to project milestones and projected budget, timelines, and staff responsible. Below is an example format.

    • Activity/Key Deliverable
    (examples below)    		 Owner/ Staff responsible Target Timeline Proposed Cost (total and variable: ex. $300 – 6 hours x $50/hour) % of cost requesting Praxis Funding % of cost covered by clinic
    Liaise with Praxis and the TSS Clinical Advisor to develop clinical implementation plan
    Work with Praxis to compose IRB submission
    Initiate TSS staff training
    Oversee data collection and sharing of client & clinician testimonials.

    1. Price: Project budgets may range from $10,000 to $30,000 CAD (inclusive of applicable taxes) and must be tied to specific milestones and timelines. Proposals should include a clear budget breakdown with staff billing rates, expected hours, significant expenses, and any matched or in-kind contributions. Only costs directly related to delivering the proposed work and milestones should be included. Below are key budget considerations:
      1. The RFP is intended to primarily cover the implementation costs: study design, training and deployment (not covered by existing payers/clients). For clients/individuals with SCI facing significant barriers in terms of transport and access, the RFP is also intended to cover costs for honorariums to reduce barriers to access.The RFP may cover TSS device costs, but it will only be covered at-cost (materials & production costs), and only when the Offeror can illustrate reasonable efforts have been made to request from the manufacturer/distributor a loan to purchase model or free sample devices. Praxis may negotiate the proposed work plan and budget if needed.

      1. International costs are not eligible unless pre-approved. If proposing a non-Canadian expense, applicants must provide a written explanation showing that no suitable Canadian alternative is available. Praxis will only provide payment to Canadian entities through this RFP.

    2. Availability: The Offeror should clearly state their availability & capacity to deliver the services and any potential restrictions. Outline of plan and capacity to reach 5-10 individuals with SCI based on current client caseload and community outreach.

    3. The Offeror must provide a Letter of Support from a health technology company to provide TSS device(s) preferably free or at-cost and an intention to adopt the technologies following successful completion of this PRF. Praxis can provide an evidence-based listing of available technologies.

    4. References: Provide three references (names, contact persons, telephone numbers and emails), preferably other clinical sites, clinical researchers with expertise working in SCI, or peer clinicians.

    5. Qualifications:

      • If the Offeror is an organization, it should describe its organization type, size, structure, areas of practice, and office location(s), the resumes of staff likely to be assigned to the project, and, if applicable, shall attach a certificate of good standing. The Offeror should describe the background checks and qualifications of 2-3 key staff overseeing the project. Descriptions should include:

      • Education, employment, and background check for each key staff member;Supervision structure; andRelevant experience of proposed staff, including role, years of experience, and continuing professional education.If the Offeror is an individual, they should include a resume which describes their education and employment to date.

      • The Offeror must provide the name of the clinician overseeing the project and proof of active registration in good standing with the applicable regulatory college for their clinical designation.

    6. Confidentiality and conflict of interest. The Offeror must ensure the confidentiality of information obtained as a result of their involvement with this project is maintained. The successful Offeror will be required to comply with Praxis’ Confidentiality Agreement and Conflict of Interest policies.

    7. Form of Proposal and Business Information. The Offeror must complete and submit all additional information detailed in the Appendix. The Offeror must provide confirmation of their independence from Praxis.

    8. This RFP prioritizes approaches that maximize the value, transparency, and reusability of research. Applicants are expected to align with Open Science principles by sharing methods, data, and findings where possible. All materials developed through this engagement must be shared in editable formats and include guidance for reuse and adaption.

    9. Liability: Praxis Spinal Cord Institute is not liable or responsible in any way for potential adverse events a client may experience at the selected site while using TSS, however the site is obligated to report the incident to Praxis and their efforts to remediate / address the event.

    The successful Offeror will be solely responsible for the performance of the Services, including the use of the TSS devices, the conduct of the study at its site, participant recruitment and selection, informed consent, clinical assessments, treatment decisions, patient/client care and safety, obtaining and maintaining required ethics approvals, compliance with the study protocol, management and reporting of adverse events, and compliance with applicable laws, regulatory requirements, and organizational policies.

    Any guidance, support, or information provided by Praxis does not relieve the successful Offeror of responsibility for the foregoing activities. Nothing in this RFP shall be construed as transferring responsibility for the forgoing activities to Praxis.

    The successful Offeror will be required to maintain insurance coverage satisfactory to Praxis and to enter into an agreement containing indemnification, insurance, and other customary terms and conditions.

    Proposal Evaluation

    1. Evaluation Procedure and Criteria. A review committee will review proposals and will request an interview/meeting with some qualified Offerors prior to final selection.

    Proposals will be reviewed in accordance with the following criteria:

    Experience and Alignment 30%
    Proposed project’s impact on SCI community 30%
    Proposed approach to scope of work 30%
    Cost Effectiveness and Availability 10%