More than 15bn is spent each year on the public procurement of a whole range of products and services, from everyday items such as office supplies to high-end infrastructure building contracts.

Welcoming the staging of the conference, David Orr, director of central procurement for the Northern Ireland civil service, said: "The people of this island are relying on public procurement to deliver goods, services and construction works worth many billions each year. It's up to procurement professionals in national and local government to secure value, drive out waste and build competitive partnerships with our contractors."

A&L Goodbody's Eamonn Conlon will address the conference on new forms of construction contracts for public works projects.

This topic is expected to be of interest to construction companies tendering for large-scale government projects.

Conlon will outline the key features of the new style of contract now being introduced, which emphasises the priority of ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget.

The departments of finance in Dublin and Belfast and Intertrade Ireland are co-hosts of the conference which takes place in the Burlington Hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday.