The system and methods of the various embodiments enable the efficient management and distribution of application filters or packet flow descriptions within a telecommunications network. A policy management system may be configured to receive a request message from a charging and enforcement (CaE) component, determine application identifiers for a data communication based on information included in the received request message, and determine policy rules. The policy management system may send a stimulus message that includes the determined application identifiers to a filter management system component so as to cause the filter management system to preemptively provision the charging and enforcement component with application filters. The policy management system may also send a response message that includes the determined policy rules to the CaE component. The charging and enforcement component may use the application filters to identify a data communication and implement the received policy rules for the identified data communication.